Most reports say Japan was hit with a 6.7 quake June 23. Other reports calling it a 6.8, while others say there were actually two 6.7 quakes, in the same spot, less than one minute apart.
The earthquake happened in the same location as the March 11 9.0 quake. Japan has experienced thousands of aftershocks since then, some reaching as high as 7.0.
June 21, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says a 6.6 quake hit Chile, near it’s border with Bolivia.
No emergencies reported, the quake was deep in the ground, at 111.3 kilometers (69.2 miles).
It seems the number of 6 plus quakes, and volcanic activity, around the Pacific Ring of Fire have increased this year. Earlier this month a volcano in Chile erupted, for several days, spewing ash that shut down airports as far away as New Zealand and Australia.
The 11 March 2011 9.0 earthquake near Fukushima, Japan, caused liquefaction as far away as Tokyo.
Tokyo officials say they are now revising their current liquefaction zone map, because the 11 March quake revealed a potentially larger liquefaction zone.
The new map will affect future construction in Tokyo.
Several hours after New Zealand was hit with a series of quakes, the eastern islands of Indonesia were hit.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports a 6.2, but local officials are calling it a 6.9 earthquake. No tsunami warnings were issued.
Christchurch, New Zealand was hit by a 5.5 quake, followed by a 6.0 aftershock, then by a 4.9.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quakes hit in the afternoon, June 13.
Christchurch was hit in February by a devastating 6.3 quake.
On the evening of 13 May, the Central American country Costa Rica, was hit by a 6.0 quake. The epicenter is near the Arenal volcano.
Then, in the early morning of 14 May, Japan was hit by a 6.2 quake (some reports say 5.7), near the same spot as 11 March 9.0 earthquake, off the coast of Fukushima. Initially a tsunami warning was issued, but was canceled. No word on any damage to the nuke plants in Fukushima.
Mexico City announced they are working on a way to put their earthquake warning system on social media.
The city’s residents have been complaining that the current quake warning system is not reliable. If Japan can have quake warning systems, and even Mexico City, why doesn’t the United States?
A report discovered by Japan’s NHK news, shows that officials knew in February that a major tsunami could hit Japan soon.
The report was put together by the Earthquake Research Committee. It looked at geographical evidence, and recent studies, and came up with a scenario that is exactly like what happened on 11 March. It even named Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures as being the hardest hit!
The conclusion of the report was that the prefectures of north east Honshu needed to make preparations. Even though the report was finish in February, the officials weren’t planning on releasing it until April. Apparently even the experts didn’t think it could actually happen.
Ocean researchers say the March 11 earthquake off the coast of north east Honshu, believe the quake was more powerful than 9.0.
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, studied the sea floor at the epicenter of the March 11 quake, using a deep sea research vessel named “Kairei”. They determined that the sea floor rose 7 meters (23 feet), and moved 50 meters (164 feet).
The scientists say that the earthquake had to be more powerful than 9.0, in order to raise the sea floor 23 feet.
The Japanese Coordinating Committee for Earthquake Prediction, said seismic activities started to increase off eastern prefectures, from Miyagi to Ibaraki, three years before the massive 9.0 quake.
Professor Koshun Yamaoka added that research shows that the focus of small quakes two days before March 11, moved closer to what became the epicenter of the massive earthquake.
Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority of Japan says not only did coastal areas of Miyagi and Chiba prefectures sink during the quake, but some rose five to eight centimeters after the quake. This is a sign the tectonic plates are still shifting.
Officials at the meeting stated that while “big” earthquakes are always predicted for Japan, no one expected a 9.0 quake.