There were reports of injuries in Tokyo. The quake that struck at 2:46 P.M JST. It was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks, including a 7.4-magnitude one.
The Japanese National broadcaster NHK said it struck at a depth of 10 kilometers, about 125 kilometers off the eastern coast, The area is 380 kilometers northeast of Tokyo. The US Geological Survey upgraded the strength of the first quake to a magnitude 8.9, while Japan’s meteorological agency measured it at 7.9. The meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning for the entire Pacific coast of Japan. NHK was warning those near the coast to get to safer ground.
In various locations along Japan’s coast, TV footage showed massive damage from the tsunami, with dozens of cars, boats and even buildings being carried along by waters. According to footage on public broadcaster NHK, a large ship swept away by the tsunami rammed directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture.
Officials were trying to assess damage, injuries and deaths from the quake but had no immediate details. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said a tsunami warning was in effect for Japan, Russia, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas. A tsunami watch has been issued for Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and the US state of Hawaii.
In downtown Tokyo, large buildings shook violently and workers rushed into the street for safety. TV footage showed a large building on fire and bellowing smoke in the Odaiba district of Tokyo. In central Tokyo, trains are stopped and passengers walked along the tracks to platforms. NHK said that ceiling in Kudan Kaikan, a large hall in Tokyo, collapsed, injuring an unknown number of people.