Do animals hear this warning when we don't? Just after 2:46 p.m. on Friday, March 11, an earthquake warning buzzed on the cell phone belonging to Professor Kensuke Watanabe.
The university building in Sendai, the biggest city hit by the quake and subsequent tsunami, began to shake violently. He knew it was time for everyone in his class to bolt under their desks. Sometimes birds and animals can also display odd behavior right before an earthquake strikes.
VICKI ANDERSON talks to a scientist who is investigating possible earthquake precursors in the days leading up to the September 4 earthquake. Earthquake Catfish Namazu sudden bursts of activity at the water surface 2: Some animal species pick up very low sound frequencies that humans cannot pick up, possibly even the shifting of crustal plates. The occurrences of natural disasters are uncertain, but not totally random. Knowing what warning signs to look out for before a tragedy strikes can help you stay out of harm's way. 20 Natural Signs You Should Be Aware Of. In light of Friday's tsunami following the Japan earthquake, find out how the killer waves are caused, what the warning signs are, and how to respond when a tsunami threatens. Had you ever been hiking in the woods and seen a patch of trees bent into a J shape? Be Aware Of A Patch Of J-Shaped Trees . (Watch a tsunami video. A laboratory setup that measured earthquake precursors — warning signs of coming earthquakes. Faults May Emit Earthquake Warning Signs. All of these signs sound like great ways to predict that an earthquake is about to happen. 1. Still, geoscientists hope that by better understanding what happens before an earthquake, they may one day have a means of warning the public of increased earthquake risk. The trouble is, scientists say that some earthquakes happen without any of these early warning signs ever appearing or taking place. There are tantalizing hints some faults issue warning signals in the days and months before a big earthquake, according to new research.