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Japan reportedly orders evacuations
Japan has ordered immediate evacuations for parts of the country, saying tsunami waves are approaching the coasts, NHK reports.
Tsunami warnings are in effect for a major stretch of Japan’s eastern Pacific coast, from Hokkaido’s eastern Pacific coast down to Wakayama Prefecture.
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Gavin Blair
To provide information to Japan’s growing foreign-born population, public broadcaster NHK is delivering updates in its television coverage in multiple languages: English, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Tagalog (for Filipinos), accompanied by graphics, as well as in sign language.
The broadcasts including warnings that even a tsunami of 50cm can be strong enough to sweep a person away.
Hawaii officials order evacuation of coastal areas around Honolulu
Officials in Hawaii have ordered an immediate evacuation of large parts of the coastline of Oahu, including coastal areas of Honolulu.
A full map of the Oahu evacuation zones is here.
Gavin Blair
Japan’s evacuation warnings span hundreds of kilometres, with official urging those near the coast to seek safety
Yoshimasa Hayashi, chief cabinet secretary, said:
Those near the coast should evacuate immediately to higher ground or safe buildings in the areas covered by the tsunami warning from Hokkaido to Wakayama Prefecture [hundreds of kilometres to the south]. Please be aware that after the initial wave, second and third waves of tsunamis can be even higher.
Tsunami warning issued for Hawaii
A tsunami warning has been issued for the state of Hawaii. Officials say it could cause “damage along coastlines of all islands in the state”, warning “urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property”. The US Tsunami Warning System said:
The danger can continue for many hours after the initial wave as subsequent waves arrive. Tsunami wave heights cannot be predicted and the first wave may not be the largest.
The alert for Guam has now been updated to a tsunami advisory, per the USGS.
A map of the region where the earthquake struck
Reporter Mar-Vic Cagurangan in Guam said the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has put a “tsunami watch” in effect for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The tsunami threat to Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan from this earthquake is still being evaluated, it said.
In a statement, the Center advised people to “stay alert” for further information and the tsunami watch could be cancelled or elevated to an advisory or warning. If a tsunami threat exists, the earliest estimated arrival time of tsunami waves within Guam, Rota, Tinian, or Saipan, would be 2:37 p.m. local time, it said.
Gavin Blair
TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company), operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant that suffered a triple meltdown triggered by the 2011 tsunami, has announced that discharge of treated water contaminated by the disaster has been suspended until today’s tsunami warnings are lifted.
Personnel engaged in the ongoing decommissioning work at the plant have also been temporarily evacuated.
Japan reportedly orders evacuations
Japan has ordered immediate evacuations for parts of the country, saying tsunami waves are approaching the coasts, NHK reports.
Tsunami warnings are in effect for a major stretch of Japan’s eastern Pacific coast, from Hokkaido’s eastern Pacific coast down to Wakayama Prefecture.
Japan has upgraded to a tsunami warning following the quake.
Russia says a tsunami with waves of 3 to 4 metres has hit parts of the Kamchatka region near the earthquake’s epicentre, Reuters reports.
Per the latest alerts:
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Russia could see waves greater than 3 metres.
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Japan could see waves of 1 to 3 metres.
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Hawaii could see waves of 1 to 3 metres.
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Pacific islands including Midway Island, Johnston Atoll and Palmyra Island could see waves of 1 to 3 metres.
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Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Philippines could see waves of 0.3 to 1 metres.
Earthquake was magnitude 8.7, USGS says
The earthquake this morning has been upgraded to a magnitude 8.7, the USGS says.
USGS confirms tsunami, issues warnings for parts of Alaska
The USGS has confirmed a tsunami and issued an immediate tsunami warning for parts of Alaska. The warning is in effect for the Samalga Pass near the state’s Aleutian Islands.
Gavin Blair
Japan warns people to stay away from shore along Pacific coast
Authorities in Japan have issued warnings for people to stay away from the shore and not go into the sea for most of the Pacific coastline.
Tsunami waves of up to 1 metre are being predicted to hit Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, at 10am local time, and then strike further south between 10.30am and 11.30am.
Prime minister Ishiba was informed of the earthquake at 08.37am, and a government emergency committee was established shortly afterwards to collect information and coordinate responses. Japan has boosted its entire disaster detection, warning and response infrastructure in the wake of the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
A kindergarten has been damaged as a result of the earthquake off Kamchatka, the regional governor has said, but so far no injuries have been reported.
Vladimir Solodov urged people to move away from the coastline saying the earthquake was the “strongest in decades” in the area.
Opening summary
A tsunami alert has been issued for Pacific islands, Russia and Japan after a magnitude 8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey says.
The quake was shallow and strong enough to cause waves or a tsunami, it said.
There was a tsunami threat to the Northern Mariana islands of Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan, it said.
