Tsunami Threat Passes After Major 7.2 Earthquake

The National Weather Service's Tsunami Warning Center is monitoring for any tsunami threat from strong earthquakes. — The National Weather Service’s Tsunami Warning Center is monitoring for any tsunami threat from strong earthquakes.

According to the National Weather Service’s Tsunami Warning Center located at Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the tsunami threat from a strong 7.2 earthquake that struck near the east coast of Honshu, Japan has passed.

At 09:09 UTC, a potent 7.2 earthquake with an epicenter of 38.4 North and 141.7 East with a depth of 37 miles rattled the off-shore waters of Japan. “Based on all available data, the tsunami threat from this earthquake has now passed” the Tsunami Warning Center said in a statement. “Remain observant and exercise normal caution near the sea…Minor sea level fluctuations may occur in some coastal areas near the earthquake over the next few hours.”

The strong earthquake struck north of Fukushima, Japan today. Image: USGS

The earthquake occured north of Fukushima, Japan, home to the epicenter of a destructive March 11, 2011 9.0 earthquake. That 2011 earthquake was destructive and deadly and generated created a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami that destroyed buildings as far away as Hawaii. Along the coast of Japan, 30 foot waves lashed the coast, claiming the lives of more than 15,000 people.

A 7.3 earthquake struck the region last month, raising alarm at the disabled Fukushima nuclear power plant where a radioactive disaster continues since the 2011 quake and tsunami.

The Earth is shaking: these dots indicate all of the earthquakes in the last 24 hours, with the blue dot indicating where today's Japan earthquake struck. Image: USGS — The Earth is shaking: these dots indicate all of the earthquakes in the last 24 hours, with the blue dot indicating where today’s Japan earthquake struck. Image: USGS

Originally, the Tsunami Warning Center warned that “based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 km of the earthquake epicenter.” However, additional analysis shows that is no longer the case, nor is there any concern at the moment for a Pacific-wide tsunami or any tsunami threats to Hawaii and Alaska nor the U.S. West Coast.