No Tsunami Threat to Hawaii After New Years 7.0 Japan Quake

New Years Day Japan Quake. Map courtesy USGS.

By Wendy Osher

(Posted: 7:45 p.m. 12/31/11)

There is NO tsunami threat to Hawaii following a preliminary magnitude 7.0 earthquake reported off of the South East coast of Honshu, Japan.

The quake was reported at 7:28 p.m. (Dec. 31, 2011) Hawaii Standard Time, and 2:27 p.m. (January 1, 2011) at the epicenter in Japan.

The quake was centered about 150 miles south west of Hachijo-jima, Izu Islands, Japan; 228 miles south of Hamamatsu, Honshu, Japan; 245 miles south south east of Tsu, Honshu, Japan; and 308 miles south south west of Tokyo, Japan.

Based on all available data, officials at the National Weather Service, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center say a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is NOT expected and there is NO threat to Hawaii.

The initial coordinates were 31.4 degrees North and 138.6 degrees East.

7:28 p.m. 12/31/11:  7.0 preliminary magnitude earthquake southeast of Honshu Japan.  A Pacific-Wide Tsunami was NOT generated based on quake and historical data.  The is NO tsunami threat to Hawaii.