No Tsunami Threat to Hawaii After 6+ Japan Quake

By Wendy Osher

(Posted: 7:55 p.m. 8/18/11)

Japan Quake, August 18, 2011 HST. Map courtesy USGS.

There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii following a large magnitude quake near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.  The quake was initially reported to be 6.8, but the USGS has the magnitude listed at 6.5.  The quake occurred at 7:36 p.m. HST on Thursday, August 18, 2011 (or 2:36 p.m. Friday, August 19 at the epicenter).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a statement indicating a destructive Pacific-Wide tsunami is not expected and there is no threat to Hawaii, based on all available data.

The quake was measured at a depth of 24.3 miles.

It was located 61 miles SE of Sendai; 64 miles NE of Iwaki; 70 miles E of Fukushima; and 175 miles NE of Tokyo.