Observatory
The Hong Kong Observatory's mission is to deliver useful and effective meteorological services; to provide quality services in climate, radiation, time standard, seismology, oceanography and astronomy; and to strengthen public preparedness for natural disasters.
The Hong Kong Observatory recorded two severe earthquakes of magnitude 8.9 and 7.1 near east coast of Honshu, Japan at 1:52pm and 2.32pm today. Another intense earthquake of magnitude 6.2 was recorded over the Bali Sea at 1:14am today.
The epicentre of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake was near the east coast of Honshu, (38.3N, 142.3E), about 120 kilometres east of Sendai.
The earthquake generated a tsunami which affects the Pacific region. However, it is unlikely that Hong Kong and the neighbouring coastal areas will be significantly affected. The rise in the local sea level is expected to be less than half a metre, which is much lower than the normal day-to-day tidal variation of about one metre.
The tsunami heights recorded around the Pacific region were 1.6 metres near Yokohama, 0.2 metres near Okinawa and 0.7 metres near Saipan.
The 7.1 magnitude earthquake was also near the east coast of Honshu, (38.1N, 144.6E), about 320 kilometres east of Sendai.
The epicentre of the 6.2 magnitude earthquake was over the Bali Sea (6.9S, 116.8E), about 190 kilometres north-northeast of Lombok.
