Post date: Mar 11, 2011 11:51:6 AM
Second tsunami wave hits Miyaki Prefecture in Japan after huge quake.
SENDAI, MIYAKI PREFECTURE, JAPAN (MARCH 11, 2011) NHK WORLD - A massive 8.9 magnitude quake hit northeast Japan on Friday (March 11), triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, cars, boats and farm buildings which were on fire, media and witnesses said.
At least one person was killed in Fukushima prefecture, north of Tokyo, where four million homes were without power. The quake caused many injuries, fires and a wall of water across the coast, prompting warnings for people to move to higher ground.There were several strong aftershocks. In the capital Tokyo, buildings shook violently.
TV pictures showed a vast wall of water carrying the debris and even fires across a large swathe of coastal farmland near the city of Sendai, which has a population of one million.
Kyodo news agency said there were reports of fires in Sendai where waves carried cars across the runway at the airport.
The western prefecture of Wakayama ordered 20,000 people to evacuate after further tsunami warnings.
Some nuclear power plants and oil refineries were shut down on Friday and a major steel plant was ablaze after the quake rocked the country, buckling roads, triggering landslides and knocking out power to homes and businesses.
Japanese media reported many injuries and fires in Sendai city in northern Japan and Tokyo. A tsunami 10 metres high hit Sendai port but there were no immediate reports of damage.
Television also reported a major fire at Cosmo Oil Co's Chiba refinery in Chiba, east of Tokyo. A fire was also reported at JFE Holdings Inc's steel plant in Chiba.
The Miyagi prefecture and surrounding areas include major manufacturing and industrial zones, with many chemical, petrochemical and electronics plants.
The Bank of Japan said it would do its utmost to ensure financial market stability as air force jets raced toward the northeast coast to determine the extent of the damage from the quake.