Originally Posted by CBC

TOKYO (AP) - A strong earthquake shook northern Japan early Tuesday, triggering a small tsunami that struck coastal areas about 300 kilometres from the epicentre. There were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake, with a preliminary magnitude 7.2, hit at 6:39 a.m. and was centred off the east coast of Japan's main island of Honshu, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Japan's Meteorological Agency measured the magnitude at 6.9, it said. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy.

A 30-centimetre tsunami wave hit the city of Ofunato, and two 10-to 20-centimetre waves generated by the quake struck two other towns in the area, the agency said. Tsunami waves, those generated by earthquakes, are often barely noticeable in the ocean but can rise to great heights once they arrive at shore. There were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake hit at a depth of about 24 kilometres and was centred off the coast of Sanriku in northern Japan, 530 kilometres east of Tokyo, the USGS said.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries because it sits atop four tectonic plates. A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan in August, injuring at least 59 people, triggering landslides, damaging buildings and causing widespread power outages.

There was no destructive Pacific Ocean-wide tsunami threat following the earthquake, based on historical quake and tsunami data, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.

However, earthquakes as large as Tuesday's can general local tsunamis capable of causing destruction along coastlines within 95 kilometres of the epicentre, according to the centre.

The quake struck 345 kilometres east of the Japanese coastline, according to the USGS.

Originally Posted by Bangkok Post

6.9 earthquake in Japan, no casualties reoprted

Tokyo (dpa) - An earthquake of 6.9 magnitude on the Richter scale shook large regions of Japan's northern Pacific coast early Tuesday, triggering a tsunami warning for the coastal area.

Japanese meteorological officials said seveeral small tsunamis of up to 50cm resulted on Honshu, in the quake area around Ofunato city 500km east of Tokyo, and on the northern main island of Hokkaido and the northeastern region of Tohoku. There was no tsunami threat outside Japan, authorities said.

There were no reports of injuries or damages from the temblor that hit about 6:39 a.m. local time (04:39 Thailand time).

The earthquake epicentre was beneath the sea floor about 310 km east of Oshika peninsula. The depth was about 24 km, the US Geological Survey said. US officials put the earthquake strength at 7.2.

Originally Posted by no_really,Nov 15 2005, 02:56 PM

"A 30-centimetre tsunami wave hit the city of Ofunato, and two 10-to 20-centimetre waves generated by the quake struck two other towns in the area, the agency said."

Run for the hills!!! Or, well, run for the, well, ...., um, hand me another beer.

Can you even say a 30cm wave "hit" a city? Unless it was an unusually calm day, would you even notice such a thing? Would it have been more acccurate to say a 30cm. wave "lapped at" a city? Maybe a 30cm wave "got some sand wet" near the shore?

Originally Posted by fourcylthrill,Nov 15 2005, 07:12 PM

a tsunami is a wave generated by an earthquake. although they are usually massive, their origin is what categorizes them.