Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

www.abc.net.au/news/2011-03-11/tsunami-swamps-japan-after-powerful-quake/2661744

Large areas of Japan's northern Pacific coast have been swamped by a devastating tsunami, engulfing entire towns following a major 8.9 offshore quake.

The meteorological agency issued its top-level evacuation alerts for the entire Japanese coast, warning of a tsunami of up to six metres.

Towns and farms around Sendai city in the northern Japan have been engulfed by a tsunami, and a four-metre wave swamped parts of Kamaishi on the Pacific coast.

Residents have been ordered to rush to high ground and stay away from the coast as tsunami can strike in several waves.

Japanese television is broadcasting pictures of a wall of water kilometres wide moving its way across the countryside, engulfing everything in its path.

More waves can be seen approaching the coast.

"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicentre within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours," the agency said.

It also put the territories of Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Micronesia and Hawaii under a lower tsunami watch.

The quake, already considered one of the worst in Japan's history, struck about 382 kilometres north-east of Tokyo at a depth of 10 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.

Smoke could be seen rising from a building in Odaiba, a Tokyo suburb, and scores of cars are floating in Iwate prefecture harbour in northern Japan.

Police in Miyagi prefecture have reported numerous injuries.

Shinkansen bullet trains stopped when the quake struck, while the nuclear power plant in Miyagi prefecture stopped operating.

Power has been cut in Sendai city, where there are numerous reports of gas leaks.

Narita airport has temporarily closed and the runways are being inspected for damage.

The government has set up a crisis management team at the prime minister's office.

Japan's northeast Pacific coast, called Sanriku, has suffered from quakes and tsunamis in the past and a 7.2 quake struck on Wednesday.

In 1933 a magnitude 8.1 quake in the area killed more than 3,000 people. Last year fishing facilities were damaged after by a tsunami caused by a strong tremor in Chile.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

^^^

on a more serious note , this is incredibly devastating.

As I sit here and write this now there are obviously millions of people out there needing help , and thats the best oliver could come up with!

Get related to reality man. As far as I can tell this thread is about a global issue , not ur theories

And what's your opinion on this latest disaster that we can all see on our TV's - and what exactly are you going to do about it? Freaking obvious - it's bad, it's devastating, it's horrible.

I've said it - it's bad. My mum's rang me and said it - it's bad. You said it, And now what? copy and paste some more stuff so you rationalize it?

Sorry, just don't get it. Are you trying to get some brownie points for announcing the news - we can all see - first?

I will score a couple of waves tomorrow, and I hope you will too. Just sit back, have another beer, with that knowledge that you "copied and pasted" it here first.

I certainly can't see you rattling any cans to help anyone.

Crap - my bottle of angry pills is just about finished.

You have nailed it Oliver.

My goal is to post 2298 times on a watersports forum. After doing this I will presume some sort of 'authority' and will question if someone dares to post a link about a major unfolding world event in the general discussion section.

Hijacking the thread will complete my distaste for such offensive behaviour.

Boobs (.).)

Oliver is having a bad day again, must have sand in his vagina

Our japenese exchange student from Tokyo who is over for dinner wasn't too happy - looks like disney land is flooded

Oh and she's worried about friend and family as well.

Did you see the set rolling into the river mouth - looked a bit fat and slow but nice

Yeah whatever echudna - obviously you don't surf - don't know any one that would see the river mouth with a nice offshore and not think -?wow we could surf that. Death or destruction or not - get of ya hi horse

oliver mate - you suck..
first i heard of the tsumami was here
and then facebook
so yes i like people to keep me informed as i dont troll the net like you
altough i do troll seabreeze and facebook and certain adult sites thats it
looser

Saw all the boats been smashed! I am very worried about the whaling fleet![}:)]