Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake

[xxMATTGxx]

A massive earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan, triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive damage.

Japanese television showed cars, ships and even buildings being swept away by a vast wall of water after the 8.9 magnitude earthquake.

Officials said the wave could be 10m (33ft), and numerous casualties are feared.

The quake struck about 250 miles (400km) from Tokyo at a depth of 20 miles, shaking the capital.

The tremor at 1446 local time (0546 GMT) was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks.

Seismologists say it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for many years.

The tsunami warning was extended to the Philippines, Indonesia and the Pacific coast of Russia.

Tsunami waves hit Japan's Miyagi and ***ushima prefectures, officials said.

Japan's NHK television showed a massive surge of water sweeping away buildings, cars and ships.

The earthquake also triggered a number of fires.

There were reports of about 20 people injured in Tokyo after the roof of a hall collapsed onto a graduation ceremony.

There were also reports of injuries in Tokyo after.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709598


Not good news for Japan

Hope not many people have been killed by such events but R.I.P to those who have.

[Slowpoke]

Watching it on Sky News now, tragic

[karter]

TOKYO – A magnitude 8.9 earthquake slammed Japan's northeastern coast Friday, unleashing a 13-foot (4-meter) tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland. Fires triggered by the quake burned out of control up and down the coast.
At least one person was killed and there were reports of several injuries in Tokyo, hundreds of kilometers (miles) away, where buildings shook violently through the main quake and the wave of massive aftershocks that followed.
TV footage showed waves of muddy waters sweeping over farmland near the city of Sendai, carrying buildings, some on fire, inland as cars attempted to drive away.
"This is a rare major quake, and damages could quickly rise by the minute," said Junichi Sawada, an official with Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Officials were trying to assess damage, injuries and deaths but had no immediate details. Police said at least one person was killed in a house collapse in Ibaraki prefecture, just northeast of Tokyo.
A large fire erupted at the Cosmo oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo and was burning out of control.
Public broadcaster NHK showed footage of a large ship being swept away by the tsunami and ramming directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture. Similar destruction was seen in dozens of communities along the coast.
In various locations along the coast, footage showed massive damage from the tsunami, with cars, boats and even buildings being carried along by waters.
The quake struck at 2:46 p.m. and was followed by five powerful aftershocks within about an hour, the strongest measuring 7.1. The U.S. Geological Survey upgraded the strength of the first quake to a magnitude 8.9, while Japan's meteorological agency measured it at 8.4.
The meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning for the entire Pacific coast of Japan. NHK was warning those near the coast to get to safer ground.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said a tsunami warning was in effect for Japan, Russia, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas. A tsunami watch has been issued for Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and the U.S. state of Hawaii.
The quake struck at a depth of six miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast, the agency said. The area is 240 miles (380 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo.
In downtown Tokyo, large buildings shook violently and workers poured into the street for safety. TV footage showed a large building on fire and bellowing smoke in the Odaiba district of Tokyo.
In central Tokyo, trains were stopped and passengers walked along the tracks to platforms. NHK said more than 4 million buildings without power in Tokyo and its suburbs.
The ceiling in Kudan Kaikan, a large hall in Tokyo, collapsed, injuring an unknown number of people, NHK said.
Osamu Akiya, 46, was working in Tokyo at his office in a trading company when the quake hit.
It sent bookshelves and computers crashing to the floor, and cracks appeared in the walls.
"I've been through many earthquakes, but I've never felt anything like this," he said. "I don't know if we'll be able to get home tonight."
Footage on NHK from their Sendai office showed employees stumbling around and books and papers crashing from desks. It also showed a glass shelter at a bus stop in Tokyo completely smashed by the quake and a weeping woman nearby being comforted by another woman.
Several quakes had hit the same region in recent days, including a 7.3 magnitude one on Wednesday.
Thirty minutes after the quake, tall buildings were still swaying in Tokyo and mobile phone networks were not working. Japan's Coast Guard has set up a task force and officials are standing by for emergency contingencies, Coast Guard official Yosuke Oi said.
"I'm afraid we'll soon find out about damages, since the quake was so strong," he said.
The tsunami roared over embankments in Sendai city, washing cars, houses and farm equipment inland before reversing directions and carrying them out to sea. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably because of burst gas pipes.
In Tokyo, hundreds of people were evacuated from Shinjuku station, the world's busiest, to a nearby park. Trains were halted.
Tokyo's main airport was closed. A large section of the ceiling at the 1-year-old airport at Ibaraki, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, fell to the floor with a powerful crash.
TV announcers urged viewers near the shore to move to strong concrete buildings and stay above the third floor .
Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said they were still assessing damage but had not confirmed any deaths.
One person was injured at a baseball stadium in Sendai, but his condition was not immediately known.
Dozens of fires were reported in northern prefectures of ***ushima, Sendai, Iwate and Ibaraki. Houses collapsing and landslides were also reported in Miyagi.

Thread Merged by xxMATTGxx (General Manager): Due to being two threads about the same matter.

[Aidenn]

Seen this on the news when i woke up this morning, i was in shock.. what a way to start a morning (in shock, not glad!!)

[Ajthedragon]

Horrific. I hope not many people died. RIP.

[StefanWolves]

The whole of the American West Coast, Hawaii, Australia, South America, Phillipines etc are expected to be hit by Tsunamis in the next few fours. The main problem is that in those parts of the world right now it is around 12pm-5am, most people wont even know so it COULD be tragic.

Sky News also just said that the Tsunami ripping through the pacific is higher than most pacific islands so they could be wiped out.

They also said this quake is estimated to be 1000 times MORE powerful than the one that recently hit New Zealand.

Holy crap I feel sorry for the people caught up in this. :|

[efq]

Awful. So much happening lately somethings got to give.

Although, on the video, the Japanese should be smart enough to not stand on a bridge when there are houses flowing underneath or stand anywhere near the water. It's asking for trouble.

But god help them.

[StefanWolves]

This is going to cause much more damage over the coming hours. Huge disaster. Now hopefully Sky News will shut up about all this Libya crap an focus on what truly is important. It puts everything into perspective.

[Grig]

I was in the news centre this morning for some internship, we had to work our sources were getting calls from Japan etc. so far 8 people confirmed dead, many more missing- death toll going to rise for sure. Tsunami warning has extended to Taiwan, the Philippines, Hawaii, Australia, Indonesia, as well as those Matt listed.

Said to be the 7th largest earthquake ever to strike on record. It's a good thing Japan is more earthquake resistant than some other countries. Good thing some of the waves came on farmland too and not residential areas.

Anyway, R.I.P to those who perished in this tragic event.

[efq]

19 confirmed dead.