TOKYO - Japan was struck by a magnitude-8.eight earthquake off its northeastern coast Friday, triggering a 13-foot (4-meter) tsunami that washed away vehicles and tore away buildings along the coast close to the epicenter.
In a variety of locations along Japan's coast, Television footage showed severe flooding, with dozens of cars, boats as well as buildings becoming carried along by waters. A sizable ship swept away by the tsunami rammed straight into a breakwater in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture, in accordance with footage on public broadcaster NHK.
Officials were attempting to assess possible harm from the quake but had no instant details.
The quake that struck 2:46 p.m. was followed by a series of aftershocks, including a 7.4-magnitude one particular about 30 minutes later. The U.S. Geological Survey upgraded the strength of the first quake to a magnitude eight.eight.
The meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning for the entire Pacific coast of Japan. National broadcaster NHK was warning those close to the coast to get to safer ground.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii mentioned a tsunami warning was in effect for Japan, Russia, Marcus Island along with the Northern Marianas. A tsunami watch has been issued for Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and also 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, significant buildings shook violently and workers poured into the street for safety. Television footage showed a large constructing on fire and bellowing smoke within the Odaiba district of Tokyo.
In central Tokyo, trains had been stopped and passengers walked along the tracks to platforms.
Footage on NHK from their Sendai office showed employees stumbling around and books and papers crashing from desks.
Many quakes had hit the identical region in latest days, like a 7.3 magnitude one on Wednesday.
Thirty minutes after the quake, tall buildings had been nonetheless swaying in Tokyo and mobile telephone networks had been not operating. Japan's Coast Guard has create process force and officials are standing by for emergency contingencies, Coast Guard official Yosuke Oi mentioned.
"I'm afraid we'll soon locate out about damages, given that the quake was so powerful," he said