Another big quake hit Japan. 7.4 magnitude

[PeppinoTuna]

Some of you need to read how the Richter magnitude scale works because you are incredibly stupid. I don't normally like to link Wikipedia pages since anyone can edit them, but:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richter_magnitude_scale

[ApplePie]

Four megatons earthquake compared to a 476 megaton. Yeah, I don't think this would even hit international news if it wasn't for Japan's big recent earthquake. I live in Virginia on one of our "active" seismic zones. We get minor earthquakes every year. We have had 200 earthquakes since 1977. Do these hit the news? No, because they are common for our area. Virginians had an earthquake two weeks ago in Pulaski county, about 30 miles away from where I live, and I felt the earthquake slightly. Earthquakes are relative to where you live. I know it may sound odd that Virginia has earthquakes, but we have them. Obviously most of the earthquakes aren't felt by humans but only by the machines. But almost every year you can feel an earthquake and it is reported in the newspaper. Where is my "bless you" dammit?! If you want to see a list of earthquakes in and near the Virginia State area, go to this website: http://www.geol.vt.edu/outreach/vtso/

[Eekiki]

Thank you, ApplePie.

Please understand, we are in no way being insensitive to the plight of the Japanese affected by the Tohoku earthquake. Of course we hope everyone is unharmed. We're merely keeping things in perspective. You folks that are demonizing us for not falling all over ourselves with concern over an event that happens regularly in Japan without us ever hearing about it are being equally as rude as the people who are facetiously dismissive. If someone comes on here and posts something like, "Good! I hope more quakes hit Japan so it sinks into the ocean!" you can chastise that person all you want.

[Naylia]

But almost every year you can feel an earthquake and it is reported in the newspaper. Where is my "bless you" dammit?! If you want to see a list of earthquakes in and near the Virginia State area

You'll get a "bless you" when your earthquakes start causing death, destruction, and serious impact to people's lives and well-being.

Link to summary of Virginia's largest earthquakes from same source

I notice a lot of bricks falling off chimneys and furniture moving a little, not quite sure you've got the problems Japan is going through right now.

[Krausus]

Where is my "bless you" dammit?! If you want to see a list of earthquakes in and near the Virginia State area, go to this website: http://www.geol.vt.edu/outreach/vtso/

awww *Cuts a lock of hair and presents it to Apple Pie*

[Jynx]

Thankfully thats nowhere near as bad as the one they were hit with previously. This is the kind of quake Japan is prepared for.

[Mikita]

A M7.4 earthquake isn't so out of the ordinary here in Japan. It can still do a fair amount of damage, and is nothing to take lightly -- but everyone is still on pins and needles because of the big one we had on March 11, and that's why this one really stopped everyone in their tracks.

And a 1 meter tsunami may sound silly small, but a tsunami is not a normal ocean wave. It's like the whole ocean suddenly rises 1 meter and floods everything. It can still do a LOT of damage.

Fortunately, it looks like there wasn't a lot of damage from last night's earthquake, although people are still assessing the situation now that it's light outside.

[Jennestia]

A M7.4 earthquake isn't so out of the ordinary here in Japan. It can still do a fair amount of damage, and is nothing to take lightly -- but everyone is still on pins and needles because of the big one we had on March 11, and that's why this one really stopped everyone in their tracks.

And a 1 meter tsunami may sound silly small, but a tsunami is not a normal ocean wave. It's like the whole ocean suddenly rises 1 meter and floods everything. It can still do a LOT of damage.

Fortunately, it looks like there wasn't a lot of damage from last night's earthquake, although people are still assessing the situation now that it's light outside.

Some doesn't truly get it till they've been in a large disaster themselves, especially Tsunami wise.

[ApplePie]

You'll get a "bless you" when your earthquakes start causing death, destruction, and serious impact to people's lives and well-being.

Link to summary of Virginia's largest earthquakes from same source

I notice a lot of bricks falling off chimneys and furniture moving a little, not quite sure you've got the problems Japan is going through right now.

Oh so when people in Virginia die to earthquakes, it isn't that bad because thousands don't die? Okay, when did you become the person to choose when death is "okay" and when death is "reprehensible"? More than just "chimney bricks" and "furniture" move during earthquakes here... Especially at the epicenter. Now who is being insensitive?

[Elexia]

If I recall, Virginia (and most of the east coast in general) is significantly less active and less likely to be completely crippled by an earthquake and tsunami than Japan and the California is. It's not about being "insensitive", it's more comparing apples to oranges as they say.

A big earthquake can cause a lot of damage no matter where it is, but comparing situations, I didn't read anything about Virginia being crippled and sweeping changes to deal with near meltdown status reactors.