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Reports tell of hundreds of people killed or missing, but when you look at these videos you can't help but believe that the casualties will run into the thousands. The amount of destruction is almost incomprehensible. It was the biggest earthquake in that area in at least 1,000 years, said geologist Dr. Jody Bourgeois during a phone interview this morning. Bourgeois, who teaches sedimentary geology at the University of Washington, happened to be in Japan at the time of the quake. The shaking lasted for three minutes, said Bourgeois. According to U.S. Geologic Survey records, it was the strongest earthquake in recorded history to hit Japan. The previous record was an 8.6 magnitude earthquake on October 28, 1707. Worldwide, it was the 5th largest earthquake since 1900.
Video with dramatic footage of tsunami:
More dramatic video:
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