2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake, Japan

A magnitude 9.1 earthquake — a great (mega-thrust class) event — struck near 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake, Japan on March 11, 2011, at a shallow depth of about 29 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. Shallow magnitude 9.1 events near a coastline can also pose a tsunami risk. 1,456 people submitted "Did You Feel It?" shaking reports to the USGS. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.