The 2011 Sendai earthquake and tsunami was an 8.9-magnitude earthquake and resultant tsunami waves. It was measured at 7 on the (JMA) Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale in the northern Miyagi prefecture, while the Japan Meteorological Agency's tsunami warning listed the magnitude as 8.4.
Reportedly, the epicenter was located off the east coast of Tohoku, Japan on Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46 UTC (2:46 p.m. local time) at a depth of 24.4 kilometres (15.2 mi).
The magniude of 8.9 makes it the largest earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history and the 7th largest in the world since records began.
The earthquake occurred 130 kilometres (81 mi) east of Sendai, Honshu, Japan. Its epicenter was 373 kilometres (232 mi) from Tokyo, according to the United States Geological Survey. A 7.1 magnitude aftershock was reported 40 minutes following the initial quake. At least twenty aftershocks of magnitude 5.5 or greater have occurred since the initial quake.
Initially reported as 7.9 by the USGS, the magnitude was quickly restated as 8.8 and then 8.9.
The effects of the quake included visible smoke rising from a building in the Port of Tokyo. Shinkansen bullet train services in and out of Tokyo were suspended, though no derailments have happened while Narita and Haneda Airport has both suspended operation after the quake, with majority of flights diverted to other airports until further notice. Various train services around Japan were also canceled.
An oil refinery was set ablaze by the quake at Ichihara, Chiba prefecture to the east of Tokyo.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said that nuclear power plants have shut down, but that no radioactive material leaked, although an abnormality was reported at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant by Kyodo News.
The earthquake triggered a tsunami warning for Japan's Pacific coast and more than 20 countries, including New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Guam, Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Hawaii, Northern Marianas (USA), Taiwan and pacific coastal countries in South and Central America including Mexico. Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Peru. The tsunami warning issued by Japan was the most serious on its warning scale, implying that the wave was expected to be 10 meters high. A 0.5 meter high wave hit Japan's northern coast. Kyodo news agency has reported a four-metre-high tsunami hitting Iwate Prefecture in Japan. A 10-meter high tsunami was observed at Sendai Airport located near the coast of Miyagi prefecture, which has been flooded, with waves sweeping along cars and buildings as they traveled inland.
At 9:28 p.m (HST) [7:28AM (UTC)], the National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning until 7 a.m. for all of Hawaii. Tsunami waves are expected to arrive in Hawaii at 3:07 am local time.
The entire Pacific Rim is now under a Tsunami Watch alert.
At 11:33 p.m. (PST) [7.33 a.m. (UTC)], the National Weather Service issued a tsunami advisory for coastal Alaska from Chignik Bay to Attu, and a tsunami watch for the entire US/Canadian Pacific coast from Chignik Bay to the California/Mexico border, with tsunami waves expected to first reach Shemya, Alaska at 12:13 a.m. (AST).
As of 1:13 a.m. (PST) [9.33 a.m. (UTC)], Google Person Finder, which was previously used in the Haiti and Christchurch earthquakes, has begun to collect information about survivors and their locations.
Here is a quick video of the actual Tsunami in Japan, March 11, 2011.
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