Japan-- 5th Largest Earthquake
- John Cornelison
- March 15, 2011
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Gauges at the University of Washington lit up for hours after the initial Japanese earthquake, which now has been determined to be the fifth largest earthquake in the world since 1900.
"Unmistakable; any instrument in the world could see this earthquake," said John Vidale, a seismologist at UW.
"You can see there are still continuing magnitude four, five and six earthquakes," he said as he motioned to a monitor on Friday.
Vidale said he wasn't totally surprised by the massive quake -- it happened on one of the most volatile subduction zones in the world.
Local seismologists haven't seen any increased seismic activity on Washington's side of the Pacific Ocean, but Vidale said the event should serve as a reminder that the region is due for a smaller quake.
