Japan Earthquake Earns Spot in History

EARTHQUAKE EARNS A SPOT IN HISTORY An 8.9-magnitude earthquake, the fifth-largest earthquake ever recorded worldwide, rocked Japan's eastern coast Friday. The quake unleashed a tsunami that swept buildings, cars and debris miles inland, and was followed by more than 100 aftershocks of 5.0 or greater." WHERE IT RANKS Largest earthquakes since 1900: 1. Chile (1960) 9.5 MEASURING AN EARTHQUAKE MAPPING THE QUAKES 2. Prince William Sound, Alaska (1964) Each step along on the magnitude scale is 10 times greater than the previous. The spheres illustrate the exponential destructive power from step to step. The map shows each earthquake at or above 5.0 in magnitude through 5 p.m. EST. 9.2 3. Off coast of N. Sumatra (2004) 9.1 4. Kamchatka, Russia (1952) Magnitude scale: 2.5. 4.50 607+ 9.0 5. Off eastern coast of Japan 8.9 Fault lines Catastrophic Aomori Disastrous ASIA Destructive Strong Japan Sendai Nigata 34 5 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 8.9, Japan JAPAN Honshu Note: The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a 7.0 magnitude. Sea of Japan Kanazawa FRIDAY'S EARTHQUAKE AND AFTERSHOCKS (MAGNITUDE 5.0 AND GREATER) The 8.9 earthquake Tokyo o Pacific Ocean 9.0 magnitude 8.9 earthquake at 2:46 p.m. 8.6 Osaka Hiroshima (12:46 a.m. EST) 7.6 72 7.0 68 66 64 whwwher 62 6.0 5.6 54 52 5.0 2:00 pm. 3:00 Japan Standard Time (Midnight EST) 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 Midnight 1:00 am 2:00 3:00 400 5:00 6:00 Sources: United States Geological Survey; The Washington Post; Associated Press MICHAEL CAMPBELL / The Star