Major tsunami hits Japan after 8.9 quake; 32 killed

TOKYO — A powerful tsunami caused by the largest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history hit the eastern coast yesterday.
Boats, cars, homes and people were swept away — at least 32 people were killed, authorities said — with debris inching toward highways as widespread fires burned out of control.
At least 19 aftershocks, most of them more than magnitude 6.0, followed the magnitude 8.9 offshore quake.
Violent tremors shook dozens of cities and villages along a 2,100-kilometer stretch of coastline.

The epicenter was 373 kilometers away from this capital, according to the United States Geological Survey, but residents here felt the tremors.
The quake rattled buildings and toppled cars off bridges and into waters underneath. Waves of debris flowed like lava across farmland, pushing boats, houses and trailers toward highways.

“The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan,” said Prime Minister Naoto Kan in a news conference.
The quake unleashed a 10-meter tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland. Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses.
Waves of muddy waters swept over farmland near the city of Sendai, carrying buildings, some on fire, inland as cars attempted to drive away. Sendai airport, north of Tokyo, was inundated with cars, trucks, buses and thick mud deposited over its runways. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably due to burst gas pipes.
“Our initial assessment indicates that there has already been enormous damage,” said chief government spokesman Yukio Edano. “We will make maximum relief effort based on that assessment.”
In Tokyo, crowds gathered on the streets and tried to reach relatives via mobile phone. Inside office buildings, papers were strewn all over the floor; people clung onto seats and desks.
According to Shenza Chen of the US Geological Survey, such a large earthquake at such a shallow depth creates a lot of energy.
It caused a power outage in about four million homes here and surrounding areas.
WARNINGS
Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire US West Coast.
A tsunami in the Pacific was moving closer to other shorelines in other countries, said CNN meteorologist Ivan Cabrera.
In the Philippines, state seismologists yesterday raised a tsunami alert over at least 19 areas in the country.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised Tsunami Alert Level 2, warning of possible waves reaching the country’s shores between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. yesterday.
PHIVOLCS advised the public to be on alert for unusual waves, which may be as high as one meter.
Malacañang yesterday ordered the mandatory evacuation of residents living 10–40 meters from the shoreline of Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos, Isabela and 15 other provinces.
Over a radio interview, PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum Jr. has identified the areas in the Philippine eastern coastline which might be affected by possible waves.
They are: Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Quezon, Aurora, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur.
The Philippine National Police national command ordered regional police directors in these provinces to send policemen out to monitor the coastal areas, and help with any manpower they can provide. They were also instructed to give updates every three hours.
Currently, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is closely monitoring the situation of Filipinos in Japan. The DFA hotline for Japan-related concerns is (632) 843-4646.
President Benigno Aquino III has ordered the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and consulate in Osaka to render all possible assistance to all affected Filipinos. (Reports from CNN Wire, the Associated Press and gmanews.tv)