I've seen reports of fires in Mashiki and there have been reports of injuries there. -- Kirk
2016-04-14 23:03 JST 2016 I've seen reports of fires in Mashiki and there have been reports of injuries there. -- Kirk ↗ View original post on Facebook For a link to the original post on Facebook, open this page on a computer. Reactions: 1 · Comments: 0 · Shares: 0 ← 2016-04-14 23:01 JST 2016-04-14 23:07 JST → Around this time … 2016-04-14 23:48 JSTI found the official English page with information about the various quakes. One interesting point is that, although 7 on the Japanese scale was registered in Mashiki, there are no reports of 6+. The next highest intensity rating is 6-. The part of Kumamoto where I live (near Oe) was 5+.-- Kirkhttp://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/6/20160414213615395-142126.html 2016-04-14 23:35 JSTThe fire in Mashiki that I mentioned earlier seems to have taken in more than one building. Sadly, locals are saying that not everyone has gotten out safely.-- Kirk 2016-04-14 23:25 JSTPrime Minister Abe commenting on the quake. His comments about asking his people to find out more about the extent of the damage, etc. are not particularly remarkable. I thought I'd post this, however, as an indication of the level of attention being given to this earthquake. It's definitely a national issue -- not just a local one. I've also heard that a request has been made for more Self-Defence Force personal to be sent to Kumamoto to help with relief and rescue efforts.-- Kirk 2016-04-14 23:10 JSTThe trains are not running so a person being interviewed on TV right now says he's not sure how he'll get home tonight. 2016-04-14 23:07 JSTAerial images of Kumamoto I've seen on TV indicated that soome parts of the city are without power. Fortunately, our neighborhood has power.-- Kirk 2016-04-14 23:03 JSTI've seen reports of fires in Mashiki and there have been … (this post) 2016-04-14 23:01 JSTOne issue I have noticed since the shaking began is that some communication systems are being overwhelmed. I was unable to use my cell phone to home when I was out checking on my students. Also, I just tried to look at several emergency pages for Kumamoto City but have not been able to access them. I suspect that the sudden number of people attempting to access these pages has overwhelmed them. Obviously, servers that carry emergency information need to be prepared to handle sudden and huge increases in access attempts.--- Kirk 2016-04-14 23:00 JSTWilliam here - Introducing the Futagawa fault had occurred to me before, but this evening provides a good opportunity. The fault is a rift zone, meaning the land is spreading apart, which extends from Amakusa - creating the Uto peninsula - through Mt. Aso. In fact, the Tateno gap, through which Shirakawa flows out of the Aso caldera, is a result of the fault; without it, the Aso caldera would be a lake. It created the plain which currently hosts the airport, and the valley between the airport and the mountains to the south is the rift zone. Rift faults are not capable of such powerful earthquakes as other types such as subductive or thrust. What you have experienced is likely the largest quake this fault is capable of. 2016-04-14 22:48 JSTI was away from my computer for a while because I went to visit the dormitory that houses the exchange students at my university. Fortunately, they are all fine. The main thing I noticed is that many people are gathering in parks and other open spaces. I haven't heard the TV announcements but, apparently, people are being encouraged to leave buildings that might be vulnerable and to move to open spaces.-- Kirk (one of several editors of this page) 2016-04-14 22:43 JSTHere's a page that should help you understand Japan's earthquake intensity rating scale (reported as "shindo"). Magnitude is a scientific measure of the amount of energy released whereas shindo tells you how bad the shaking was in each place. So, the two measure different things and you can't convert one into the other.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Meteorological_Agency_seismic_intensity_scaleJapan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 2016-04-14 22:08 JSTWilliam here:If you live in Kumamoto, you probably noticed an earthquake. In fact, you're probably aware of the aftershocks now. DO NOT BE ALARMED. Kumamoto's techtonics are dominated by the Futagawa fault, which has a theoretical maximum magnitide of 7 - which means it couldn't get much worse. We'll ride this out. There will be aftershocks, but it will not get worse. http://www.jishin.go.jp/main/yosokuchizu/katsudanso/f093_futagawa_hinagu.htm