Earthquake Tsunami Causes Extensive Damage in Japan

Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, feels the earthquake during the session in the Japanese Parliament. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The 8.9 magnitude on the Richter scale earthquake that hit the north-east of Japan has triggered strong 10-meter tsunami which caused extensive damage.

The Japanese TV channel NHK showed cars, ships and even buildings being swept away by a vast wall of debris-filled water after the tremor. The tsunami waves have hit the hardest the Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.

Numerous casualties are feared. Currently there are 20 reported injuries, when the roof of a hall collapsed onto a graduation ceremony, and one death, but the number is expected to climb in the hours to come.

The earthquake struck about 250 miles (400km) from the capital at a depth of 20 miles. There have several been powerful aftershocks with seismologists saying it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for many years.

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

The earthquake also triggered a number of fires, including one at an oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo.

Phone services are unavailable. Bullet train service to northern Japan was halted, rapid transit in Tokyo was suspended and some nuclear power plants automatically shut down.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said there had been no radiation leaks.

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