Post date: Mar 11, 2011 11:41:11 AM
Biggest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years strikes the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-meter high tsunami leaving a trail of devastation.
FUKISHIMA, JAPAN (MARCH 11, 2011) TBS - The biggest earthquake to hit Japan since records began 140 years ago struck the northeast coast on Friday (March 11), triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings which were on fire.
The Red Cross in Geneva said the wall of water was higher than some Pacific islands and a tsunami warning was issued for the whole of the Pacific basin, except for the United States and Canada, but Hawaii ordered the evacuation of coastal areas.At least 22 people were killed in the quake and tsunami, Kyodo news agency said, and the extent of the destruction, and the forecast for the tsunami, suggested the death toll could rise significantly.
There were several strong aftershocks. In Tokyo, buildings shook violently. An oil refinery near the city was on fire, with dozens of storage tanks under threat.
TV footage showed people in an office holding onto desks as the building shook.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yukio Edano, said the government was doing what it could to rescue people.
"I wanted to tell you that currently, we are assuming that there is devastating damage, and the government is doing all we can to rescue and to prevent further damage," Edano said.
TBS showed flames and black smoke billowing from a building in Odaiba, a Tokyo suburb, and bullet trains to the north of the country were halted.
The 8.9 magnitude quake caused many injuries, sparked fires and the wall of water, prompting warnings to people to move to higher ground in coastal areas.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.