M 6.8 earthquakes strike Niigata and Japanese Alps

**Maciamo** · Oct 23, 2004, 18:59

From 17:56 to 19:00 today, a series if powerful earthquakes (magnitude 6.8) has shaken the Niigata region, and could be felt distinctively as far as Tokyo (magnitude 4), 250km away.

More detailed can be obtained from this site (Japanese only)

No news of casualities, injuries or damages from the media so far.

**Mike Cash** · Oct 23, 2004, 19:07

We had about a half dozen shakes of magnitude 5 or so here in Gunma.

**openup** · Oct 23, 2004, 20:16

Update:

- two persons confirmed dead.
- 30 - 50 injuries in Tokamachi.

**wintersweet** · Oct 24, 2004, 02:26

Five dead according to http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=index&cid=731
USGS: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqs...gion/Asia.html

**King of Tokyo** · Oct 24, 2004, 03:03

It is now confirmed at 8 deaths.. Ehh.. This is one of the only things that worries me about living in Japan.. I hate big earthquakes..

**BamaFan2989** · Oct 24, 2004, 06:33

speaking of.... what are the major weather problems there? tsunamis and earthquakes?

**名無し** · Oct 24, 2004, 15:00

Condolenses first, before discussions...
Niigata Quake Registers Record High Acceleration (Mainichi)
Quake Death Toll Rises to 23, Koizumi Vows to Help Victims (Kyodo)

**cicatriz esp** · Oct 24, 2004, 15:25

Originally Posted by news

The quakes were centered in relatively rural areas. The government has estimated that some 7,000 people would die if such a powerful quake hit the Tokyo area.

When the Japanese measure a magnitude 6.8, they are using the Richter scale, correct? I'm trying to compare this to quakes I have experienced.

**Mike Cash** · Oct 24, 2004, 18:02

You always have to double check on that since they have their own "Japan-only" scale which is the one that usually gets reported in Japan. Richter is given parenthetically, if at all.

**Eternal Wind** · Oct 24, 2004, 19:18

This is very very terrible...It's very unfortunate,winter is coming and those japan citizen who had lost their home had to bear with the cold...

**mad pierrot** · Oct 24, 2004, 21:05

I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.
Man, this has been a bad year for Japan.

**Elizabeth** · Oct 24, 2004, 21:07

Originally Posted by mikecash

You always have to double check on that since they have their own "Japan-only" scale which is the one that usually gets reported in Japan. Richter is given parenthetically, if at all.

Yes, precisely because 'seismic intensity' (震度, 弱 or 強い） is apparently an only in Japan measurement, international coverage is generally given in magnitude (M) corresponding to Richter.

**Mike Cash** · Oct 24, 2004, 21:45

The distinction is made especially important by the fact that the Richter scale is not a linear progression.

**Brooker** · Oct 25, 2004, 04:33

Did anyone here experience the quake first hand?

**Mike Cash** · Oct 25, 2004, 04:51

Yes. And they were coming strong enough and often enough that in hindsight I wonder why I didn't get the hell out of the building and take my chances outdoors.

**sabro** · Oct 27, 2004, 02:20

I've been following this, but there really isn't much on the news here in the US. The pictures are amazing. Be careful running out of buildings- the shaking won't hurt you, but falling debris will.

My understanding of scales is that the Richter magnitude measures energy output, and gives a single reading for any one given event. Intensity scales measure shaking and damage and vary greatly from one spot to another depending on distance and soil for one event. In the US, we use arabic numerals for Richter numbers and Roman numerals for intensity measurments.

Take care- I hope everyone is fine.

**名無し** · Nov 12, 2004, 03:41

Fraudsters Prey on Niigata Quake Donors

**rahul bhatnagar** · May 17, 2005, 18:59

hello friends
i am doing research in predicting earthquakes specially in japan for last 6 yrs.i have now developed a method in which i can predict earthquakes in japan in 70% cases.
I AM THE ONLY PRESON WHO PREDICTED NIIGATA EARTHQUKE IN JAPAN.I SENT EMAIL TO DIFFERENT SIESMOLOGIST OF JAPAN ON 8TH OCT THAT A STRONG EARTHQUAKE WILL OCCUR IN JAPAN ON 21 OR 25 OF OCT 2004 OF 6.0 TO 7.0 ON RICHTER SCALE IN HONSHU ISLAND WHICH OCCURED ON 23 OCT 2004 OF 6.8 ON RICHTER.
but no one believed me.I HAVE PROOF OF THOSE EMAILS SENT TO SEISMOLOGIST IF ANYONE WANT THOSE EMAIL DO EMAIL ME ON rahulbhatnagar2k2@yahoo.co.in

MY NEXT PREDICTION ON JAPAN IS THERE WILL BE A STRONG EARTHQUKE IN JAPAN ON 20 OR 22 MAY 2005 IN
SOUTH WESTERN JAPAN OR EAST OF HONSHU OF 6.0 to 7.0 ON RICHTER SCALE.