Breaking News….
Massive earthquake followed by tsunami hits Japan
ONE of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded has hit Japan today, unleashing a 10-meter high tsunami that tossed ships inland and sparked fears that destructive waves could sweep across the Pacific Ocean.
The devastating 8.9-magnitude quake left many people injured in coastal areas of the main Honshu island and Tokyo.
A monster 10-metre wall of water was reported in Sendai city in northeastern Miyagi prefecture.Helicopter footage showed massive inundation in northern coastal towns, where floods of black water sent shipping containers, cars and debris crashing through streets. An oil refinery was ablaze near Tokyo.
The tsunami also reached Sendai airport, submerging the runway while a process known as liquefaction, caused by the intense shaking of the tremor, turned parts of the ground to liquid.
The tsunami roared over embankments in Sendai city, washing cars, houses and farm equipment inland before reversing directions and carrying them out to sea. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably because of burst gas pipes.Elsewhere, large fishing boats lay upturned on land, some distance from the sea.
Japan's northeast Pacific coast, called Sanriku, has suffered from quakes and tsunamis in the past and a 7.2 quake struck on Wednesday. In 1933, a magnitude 8.1 quake in the area killed more than 3,000 people. Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.
Tsunami
A tsunami or tidal wave is a series of water waves (called a tsunami wave train) caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, usually an ocean, but can occur in large lakes. Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded.Owing to the immense volumes of water and the high energy involved, tsunamis can devastate coastal regions.
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions (including detonations of underwater nuclear devices), landslides and other mass movements, meteorite ocean impacts or similar impact events, and other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami.
Club News
A district level stamp exhibition has been organized at famous Gaiety Theatre Shimla from March 10 – 12, 2011. Local philatelists and some school children exhibited their collections in the exhibition. Sh.S.C.Jarodia, Chief Postmaster General, H.P.Circle was the Chief Guest and Sh. Ambesh Upmanyu was the guest of honour at the exhibition.
: Bhumika Sharma, Shimla
Patna philatelists exchange views..
A meeting of Patna philatelists was held at the residence of Mr Lallan P. Singh on 6th March to discuss different aspects of thematic exhibiting on the background of just concluded INDIPEX-2011. Every philatelist including senior most philatelist of Bihar, Dr.Ranjeet Singh Gandhi, participated in this meeting. All shared the valuable information gathered during the discussion with jurors during jury session on 18th of February at INDIPEX-2011. The prominent philatelists in the meeting included . Dr.R.S. Gandhi (G),Sr.Lallan P.Singh (V); Sr.Pradip Sarkar (B); Sr.R.K Mishra; Sanjay Jain (LS); Sr.Paramjeet Singh (LS) & Sr.Pragya Kothari (V)
