Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Ala ọma jijiji ahụ mere n'ihi mmebi nke ike dị nso n'ókè nke mpaghara mpaghara interface n'etiti mpaghara Pacific na North America. Ngwọta nke moment tensor na-egosi na ọpụpụ ahụ mere ma ọ bụ na mmebi nke na-adaba adaba na-adaba na ndịda, ma ọ bụ mmebi nke na-adaba adaba na-adaba na ugwu-n'ebe ugwu ọwụwa anyanwụ, kwekọrọ na mkpakọ ọwụwa anyanwụ-ọdịda anyanwụ na-atụ anya na mpaghara a. N'ebe ala ọma jijiji a mere, efere Pacific na-agagharị ihe dị ka n'ebe ọdịda anyanwụ n'ihe metụtara efere North America na ọsọ nke otu afọ, na-agbada n'okpuru Japan na Japan Trench ma na-adaba n'ebe ọdịda anyanwụ n'okpuru Japan. Ebe ala ọma jijiji ahụ mere dị n'ebe ọdịda anyanwụ nke ebe ala ọma jijiji ahụ mere.
Ala ọma jijiji nke March 2011. Ọ bịara nanị ụbọchị itoolu mgbe afọ iri nke ọdachi nke March 11, 2011 gasịrị, na ihe karịrị otu ọnwa kemgbe ala ọma jijiji nke 7.3 kụrụ n'ebe ndịda nke ihe omume March 20.