Tsunami Following M8.9 Earthquake Hits Japan

Japanese television showed pictures of cars, boats and even buildings swept away by a giant wave after an 8.9 SR earthquake.

This disaster caused fires in some areas in the capital Tokyo and it is worried a number of people died.

Epicenter of the earthquake occurred about 400 kilometers from the capital city of Tokyo and at a depth of 35 kilometers. After that happened several strong aftershocks.

The quake occurred at 14:46 local time. Seismology experts say this is one of the strongest earthquake ever shook Japan.

Tsunami warning

Tsunami warning is now extended to the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Russia region on the Pacific coast and Hawaii.

Pacific tsunami warning center said the waves could reach the coast of Chile in South America.

According to reports there are 20 people injured in Tokyo after the hall roof collapsed when the graduation ceremony is in progress.

Residents and workers in the Tokyo office jump out of the building and gathered in open parks as aftershocks occur.

Many Tokyo residents say they have never felt this strong earthquake.

In central Tokyo, Jeffrey Balang said he was trapped in his office in Shiodome Sumitomo Building by elevators stopped working.

"There's no panic but it feels like seasickness as the building rocked continuously," he told the BBC.

Super-fast trains in northern Japan suspended, transportation in Tokyo was also halted and some nuclear power immediately closed.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said there was no radiation leak.

In a televised speech, he expressed his sympathy to victims of disaster.

He stressed that his government has set up a disaster prevention center.

Naoto Kan said the quake was magnitude 8.4 while the United States Geology Survey said the quake strength was 8.9 on the Richter scale.