Italy: Earthquake kills six, destroys buildings and vehicles

An earthquake struck the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna on Sunday at about 4 AM, killing six people, wounding at least 50 and destroying many cars and buildings, officials said.

The quake struck at 4:04 a.m. Sunday between Modena and Mantova, about 22 miles north-northwest of Bologna at a relatively shallow depth of 3.2 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The four victims were killed by falling masonry. Italian media report two more quake-related deaths.
The tremor caused “significant damage to the cultural heritage” of Emilia Romagna region, the government said.
Many people were still awake at 4 a.m. and milling about town since it was a “white night,” with stores and restaurants open all night. Museums were supposed to have remained open as well but closed following the bombing Saturday of a school in southern Italy that killed one person.
Streets were filled with debris and people in the early hours Sunday, as locals assessed the damage of their homes and businesses. Some old church steeples and towers had also collapsed.
Cars had been crushed under falling masonry, and the Civil Protection Agency had evacuated hundreds of elderly and vulnerable people to makeshift communal shelters in Finale Emilia and towns near the epicentre.


Italy earthquake kills three by euronews-en

Tech : Google launches Person Finder app following earthquake in Turkey

In the wake of yesterday's devastating earthquake in Turkey, Google has launched a specialized Person Finder to help victims find missing loved ones. First developed in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Google's Person Finder has since been deployed to several other natural disaster zones, including post-tsunami Japan earlier this year. The idea behind the company's Turkish initiative remains as straightforward as ever: users can enter information on the person they're looking for, or add any details they may have on people who aren't already accounted for. Of course, all submitted records remain available for public search and viewing.

East Coast quake causes major cell service disruptions

 Cell service along the East Coast was spotty for about a half hour following a Virginia-based earthquake that was felt as far away as New England.
There were no reports of downed cell towers or wires, but mobile providers said the fact that millions of people tried to make cell phone calls at the same time overwhelmed cellular relay stations.

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Verizon Wireless reported network congestion for some customers in the Eastern U.S. for about 20 minutes following the earthquake, which hit just before 2 p.m. ET. The quake measured at 5.9 on the Richter scale.
"We are seeing no reports of damage to our wireless network," said Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500) spokesman Jeff Nelson. "Everything returned to normal quickly once the tremors ended. We'll continue to monitor the network."
Nelson said the mobile company's infrastructure was built to withstand earthquakes of such a magnitude.
Sprint (S, Fortune 500) told customers via Twitter that the provider is experiencing intermittent delays connecting phone calls following the earth quake, citing a "temporary mass calling event."
AT&T (T, Fortune 500) said it continued to investigate the earthquake's impact, but thousands of people took to Twitter, saying that their service was disrupted as well.

Photo of The D.C. Earthquake Devastation

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In Case You Were Asleep : Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Felt In NYC

By: NY1 News

Dozens of buildings throughout the city, including City Hall, were briefly evacuated this afternoon after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake centered outside of Washington, D.C. rocked much of the east coast.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the earthquake was centered northwest of Richmond, Virginia and was 3.7 miles deep.
It could be felt as far north as Rhode Island.
The New York City Fire Department says they received numerous call for buildings shaking but have no reports of any damage or injuries at this time.
Consolidated Edison says they have not received reports of any power outages.
Both reactors at Indian Point are operating normally at full power.
There are also no reports of any damage on the site.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says service has not been disrupted.
The Associated Press says shaking could be felt at the White House and all over the East Coast, as far south as Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Parts of the Pentagon, White House and U.S. Capitol were also evacuated.

Tech : Apple offers free repairs for iPhones, other products damaged in Japan quake

Apple customers with Macs, displays, and iOS devices that were directly damaged in the Japan earthquake and tsunami may be eligible for free repairs. The offer, posted on the company's Japanese website, excludes iPod classic, nano, and shuffle, and only applies to customers living in areas covered by the Ministry of Health's Disaster Relief Act. Originally posted in March, Apple's announcement joins Softbank's offer to replace lost iPhones registered to its network, and free calls to Japan from U.S. carriers, among others. Considering water and other accidental damage typically voids a device's warranty, you'll want to give AppleCare a call soon -- the acceptance period only runs through June 30th

Rides : Nissan recovering from quake, ramps up Leaf deliveries

We have some good news from the Land of the Rising Sun -- a fresh batch of Leafs are on their way to American shores. At the New York Auto show, Nissan announced that the first shipments of post earthquake-produced EVs should be in the hands of American consumers by April 27th. The company still expects to fulfill current orders by the end of summer and on May 1st will begin accepting new reservations for vehicles in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Buyers in the southeastern US will be able to join the plug-in parade this fall, to be followed by a nationwide launch in 2012. Now that the auto manufacturing plants are getting back to business as usual following the tsunami that ravaged Japan, we can only hope the rest of the country isn't too far behind. 

 

Press Release

 

Nissan Accelerates LeafF Deliveries To U.S. Consumers; Reopens Reservations In Launch Markets May 1

- New Marketing Campaign Illustrates 'Value of Zero' –
- First post earthquake-produced Nissan LEAF's to arrive in the U.S. this month –
- Deliveries to total many thousands by end of the summer –
- Nissan LEAF featured in Hollywood documentary 'Revenge of the Electric Car' –

Nissan Americas today announced it will accelerate the U.S. market launch of the Nissan LEAF, the world's first and only affordable, all-electric vehicle designed for the mass market. Beginning May 1, the company will reopen reservations to select consumers as both vehicle production and U.S. deliveries move into the many thousands. Nissan completed its first reservation session in September 2010 after achieving its goal of 20,000 U.S. reservations, three months prior to the first Nissan LEAF delivery.

Reservations first will reopen in the launch states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Individuals who already have registered on the Nissan LEAF website – a group that now totals 340,000 potential owners – will be given the first opportunity to reserve a spot in line to purchase a Nissan LEAF.

More markets will follow, with market availability in the southeastern United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia) this fall, and nationwide ordering in 2012.

"Nissan is pleased to report that the first vessel carrying post earthquake-produced Nissan LEAFs is scheduled to arrive to U.S. shores April 27," said Carlos Tavares, Chairman, Nissan Americas, at the keynote address of the New York International Auto Show. "Nissan LEAF deliveries are about to grow from the few hundreds, to the many thousands, and all current customer orders will be fulfilled by the end of this summer."

This announcement comes on the heels of the April 18 debut of Nissan's new ad campaign for the all-electric car, titled "Value of Zero." The campaign is a celebration of the 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF, which uses zero gas and emits zero tailpipe emissions. The campaign tagline, "Zero is Worth Everything," highlights the car and reveals the true value of zero, through topical imagery arranged in the circular shape of a zero.

The Nissan LEAF also is featured in the highly anticipated documentary "Revenge of the Electric Car." Filmmaker and electric-car advocate Chris Paine directs the movie, which follows executives including Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in his industry-leading pursuit of zero-emission leadership. "Revenge" opens April 22, Earth Day, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

More than 500 Nissan LEAFs have been delivered to U.S. consumers since the December 2010 launch of this groundbreaking vehicle. With the help of CARWINGS, the advanced telematics system that comes standard on every Nissan LEAF, the company has compiled aggregate data about the use patterns of these first Nissan LEAF owners. The average trip length of these early adopters is 7 miles; most charge on a Level 2, 220-volt charger at their homes; and the average charging time is 2 hours and 11 minutes. Nissan LEAF owners are a combination of conscientious environmentalists and tech-savvy individuals. They are highly educated, have excellent credit, and are in the nation's top 15 percent for household income.

The week of New York International Auto Show marks the debut of the Nissan LEAF Nismo RC, a purpose-built prototype that wraps production Nissan LEAF components and technology in a dramatic, ready-to-go-racing carbon-fiber body. The Nissan LEAF also is a candidate for the prestigious World Car of the Year and World Green Car of the Year awards, which will be awarded April 21 during the show.

The week culminates in Earth Day, April 22, when the Nissan LEAF will participate in Earth Day 2011 in New York. Nissan, which is a sponsor of the festivities, is participating in a CO2 E Drive – an electric vehicle drive that winds through Manhattan and finishes in Times Square.

In Times Square, a select number of cars from the convoy, which includes the Nissan LEAF, will be profiled in a car runway show where the green features of the car will be described to the assembled media and public.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, design, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010 and has been recognized as a 2010 and 2011 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information about Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.Infiniti.com.

About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second largest Japanese automotive company by volume, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan and is an integral pillar of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 150,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4 million vehicles in 2010. With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of fuel-efficient and low-emissions vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year award.

 

 

Tech : Update : Japanese quake will likely affect the global supply of gadgets

Devastating. There are no words to effectively convey the human catastrophe suffered in Japan. Engadget would like to express our sincere condolences to those readers personally affected by recent events.

As a tech publication, we're obviously focused on the impact recent events will have on Japan's vast consumer electronics industry -- an industry that has responded with millions of dollars in cash, equipment and services to help with the relief effort. Thus far, Canon, Panasonic, and Sony have each pledged ¥300 million ($3.67 million) in donations. Sony is also matching employee contributions as will Mitsubishi who's donating a whopping ¥500 million ($6.1 million) in aid. On the equipment side, Sony is donating some 30,000 radios to relief efforts while Panasonic is providing 10,000 radios, 10,000 flashlights, and 500,000 batteries. NEC, Kyocera, and Epson are each donating ¥100 million in funds, computers, and telecoms and IT equipment.

While it's still too early to quantify the exact impact the earthquake, tsunami, and ongoing nuclear troubles will have on the global tech industry, the scope of the issues is becoming clearer now that the initial chaos has passed. Click through to see how everything from laptop batteries to iPads are at risk.

Already, we're seeing reports predicting shortages of components that could ultimately create delays and / or increase the prices of our favorite gadgets. 32-gigabit NAND pricing has already jumped 18 percent according to DRAMeXchange on news that Toshiba had suspended operations at a chip plant in the Iwate Prefecture. Remember, Japan manufactures over 40 percent of the worldwide NAND flash, much of that coming from Toshiba -- the very supplier found lurking inside of the iPad 2. While Tosh says that the plant doesn't seem to have suffered any significant damage, it's still assessing the situation against a series of aftershocks (likely to continue for one or two months) and doesn't know when it will be able to resume production.

Of course, the integrity of facilities is just one piece to the manufacturing puzzle. Plants still require raw materials that necessitate a working transportation system of rails, roads, and harbors, all of which presupposes the ready availability of fuel and electricity. Regarding the latter, Tokyo Electric has lost 27 percent of its electricity generation capacity leaving it 10 million kilowatts short of demand. As a result, Tokyo, where many of Japan's consumer electronics companies are headquartered, and eight other prefectures will begin rationing electricity until the end of April -- possibly longer as power demand spikes with summer air conditioner demands. The rolling outages will last anywhere between three and six hours. Toshiba and Sony (and likely others) have already announced their compliance with the government's request to shutdown all non-essential electricity-consuming facilities and operations unrelated to social and economic activities.

In addition to the impact on flash memory supplies, we're starting to see a more detailed view of other components impacted by recent events. Sony has stopped or limited production at eight manufacturing plants as it ascertains damage and waits for power to be restored. The disruption affects Sony-built magnetic tape, optical films, laser diodes, lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs. Panasonic, Fujifilm, Nikon, and Canon have all shut down factories in the affected regions related to the production of digital cameras and lenses. Canon estimates that some of its facilities, including those that produce interchangeable lenses and inkjet cartridges for its printers, will be offline for up to a few weeks, possibly shifting production to alternative sites if its systems don't come online over the next month.

Photos : Earthquake In Japan

What happened in the northeast of Japan earthquake was the strongest in the history of the country, According to mmo country. Its magnitude was estimated as 8.8.

According to the USGS, the earthquake magnitude was 8.9. Its epicenter was 373 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, the focus at the depth of 24 kilometers. A series of strong tremors in the north-east of Japan and the subsequent tsunami caused damage to Pacific coast of the country.