JAPAN HIT BY THIRD STRONG EARTHQUAKE

MAGNITUDE 6.5 EARTHQUAKE HITS OFF
COAST OF JAPAN, THIRD SINCE AUG. 9

TOKYO - Eastern Japan has been hit by a third strong earthquake in less than a week, prompting speculation that the recent underground activity may be the precursor to a massive - and overdue - tremor in the Tokai region. A magnitude-6.6 earthquake struck south of Tokyo at 7:49 a.m. local time today, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, the third temblor to rock the Japanese capital since Aug. 9. The earthquake hit 312 kilometers (186 miles) south of Tokyo at a depth of 57 kilometers, shaking buildings in the capital, the weather agency said on its Web site. There were no reports of injuries or damage.A magnitude-6.5 earthquake to the southwest of Tokyo two days ago left one person dead, 123 people injured and damaged 5,192 houses, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency. An aftershock from was recorded at 10:53 a.m. today with a magnitude of 4.9, the JMA said.

Today’s quake may have generated a local tsunami, U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. There was no warning from the Japanese agency and no tsunami was recorded. Major movements in the crust of the Earth have occurred in the Tokai region, close to the major city of Nagoya, on average every 110 years. The last one with a magnitude of 8 was 155 years ago. Researchers now put the likelihood of a serious earthquake - one that could cause around 6,000 deaths, 20,000 serious injuries and damage to 1 million buildings - within the next 30 years as high as 87 per cent. Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, and experts believe Tokyo has a 90 per cent chance of being hit by a major quake over the next 50 years.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Material life is not very happy because we are always fearful of something. No one can say, "I am not afraid of anything." Everyone is afraid of something. There is not a bird, beast, human being or living entity alive that is not afraid of something. This is because we are absorbed in the bodily conception, thinking, "I am this body." Since everyone is thinking in this way, everyone fears bodily destruction. When there was an earthquake in Los Angeles, everyone ran out their houses screaming. Everyone was terrified, thinking, "Now death is coming!" This is material nature. There are many events in nature that cause fear. There are great cyclones and tornadoes. There is excessive heat and excessive rain. There is flood and famine and war. Yet people are thinking of being happy on this planet.

Srila A.C. BV Swami Prabhupada:
"Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti - Chapter 17 - Verse 42"