Massive 8.8-magnitude quake strikes Japan

[StingRoy]

Massive 8.8-magnitude quake strikes Japan

TOKYO — A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's northeastern coast Friday afternoon, shaking buildings in Tokyo for several minutes and sending people out into the streets.

Japanese television showed major tsunami damage in northern Japan on Friday. Public broadcaster NHK showed cars, trucks, houses and buildings being swept away by tsunami in Onahama city in Fukushima prefecture.

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 Hawaii.

Smoke was seen rising from a port building engulfed in flames.
Image: Reporters at the Associated Press Tokyo Bureau take shelter under a table Friday while a strong earthquake strikes Japan.

The agency says the quake struck at 2:46 p.m. Friday at a depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast, about 240 miles 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.

Footage on national broadcaster NHK from their Sendai office showed employees stumbling around and books and papers crashing from desks.

Police and coast guard officials said they were assessing possible damage from the quake.

Several quakes had hit the same region in recent days, including a 7.3 magnitude temblor on Wednesday.

 

[StingRoy]

Tsunami hits Japan after 8.8 magnitude earthquake


The Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed cars, trucks, houses and buildings being swept away by tsunami in Onahama city in Fukushima prefecture. Black smoke was seen billowing from a building in Odaiba, a Tokyo suburb, and bullet trains to the north of the country were halted.

Television showed cars bobbing in water along side fishing boats. A 50 cm tsunami hit Japan's northern coast.

"The building shook for what seemed a long time and many people in the newsroom grabbed their helmets and some got under their desks," Reuters correspondent Linda Sieg said.

"It was probably the worst I have felt since I came to Japan more than 20 years ago."

US officials said the 8.8-magnitude quake struck about 250 miles (400km) from Tokyo at a depth of 20 miles. The stock market extended its losses after the quake was announced.

 

[rockstarIN]

There is a huge tsunami waves in Japan after 8.8 earth quake..

Breaking news..!!

 

[rockstarIN]

Watching in TV now, its like the scenes of 2012...

 

[rockstarIN]

Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake

A massive earthquake has hit the northeast of Japan triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive damage.

Japan's TV showed cars, ships and even buildings being swept away the Fukushima prefecture, after the 8.8 magnitude earthquake.

Officials said a wave as high as 6m (20ft) could strike the coast.

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

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

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

 

[madooxno9]

 

[StingRoy]

If anyone has access to tv you can watch the live coverage (CNN, Reuters, BBC, SKY).... The Tsunami is sweeping through the homes and farmlands. People trying to drive away, but many people were swept away in their cars. This is indeed a massive earthquake.

 

[Nair saab]

Hope there is no casualty...

 

[RoYaL~GuJJaR]

OMG..!!! i JUST SAW IT ON CNN! I hope there will be minimum casualties there....

---------------------------------
omg!! Just see the footage on news channels!!! Damn!! the footage from chopper!!! the tsunami is sweeping homes and everything....

 

[rockstarIN]

TOKYO – Japan was struck by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake off its northeastern coast Friday, unleashing a 13-foot (4-meter) tsunami that washed away cars and tore away buildings along the coast near the epicenter. There were reports of injuries in Tokyo.

In various locations along Japan's coast, TV footage showed massive damage from the tsunami, with dozens of cars, boats and even buildings being carried along by waters. A large ship swept away by the tsunami rammed directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture, according to footage on public broadcaster NHK.

Officials were trying to assess damage, injuries and deaths from the quake but had no immediate details.

The quake that struck at 2:46 p.m. was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks, including a 7.4-magnitude one about 30 minutes later. 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 7.9.

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.

The ceiling in Kudan Kaikan, a large hall in Tokyo, collapsed, injuring an unknown number of people, NHK said.

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 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


Major tsunami damage in N Japan after 8.9 quake - Yahoo! News

 

[rockstarIN]

Hope there is no casualty...

By looking at the pictures, its too massive...there were warning in the last week, so hope people are aware and moved to safe locations.

 

[rockstarIN]

Reports coming that an oil refinary is under fire and an airport is under floods...

 

[StingRoy]

# People in cars try to outrun waves on coastal highways
# Tokyo's Disneyland car park under water
# Physicist describes event as one of history's 'great quakes'
# Buildings rocked in China's capital Beijing, 1,500 miles away

Read more: Japan earthquake: Tsunami causes major damage after large earthquake hits Japan | Mail Online

 

[rockstarIN]

All nuclear reactors are shut in Japan..

 

[jayron]

I am watching the live video of the tsunami. it is incredible!