TOKYO - A powerful tsunami spawned by the largest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. Authorities said at least 32 people were killed.
The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.
Japan earthquake 11 March 2011
A utility company in northeastern Japan reported a fire in a turbine building of nuclear power plant. A tsunami warning was issued for the entire Pacific, including areas as far away as South America, the entire U.S. West Coast, Canada and Alaska.
Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said at least 32 people were killed.
"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.
Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions. It unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland.
Magnitude 8.9 - NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
2011 March 11 05:46:23 UTC
Earthquake Details
This is a computer-generated message -- this event has not yet been reviewed by a seismologist.
Magnitude
8.9
Date-Time
Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC
Friday, March 11, 2011 at 02:46:23 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
38.322°N, 142.369°E
Depth
24.4 km (15.2 miles) set by location program
Region
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
130 km (80 miles) E of Sendai, Honshu, Japan
178 km (110 miles) E of Yamagata, Honshu, Japan
178 km (110 miles) ENE of Fukushima, Honshu, Japan
373 km (231 miles) NE of TOKYO, Japan
Location Uncertainty
horizontal +/- 13.5 km (8.4 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters
NST=350, Nph=351, Dmin=416.3 km, Rmss=1.46 sec, Gp= 29°,
M-type="moment" magnitude from initial P wave (tsuboi method) (Mi/Mwp), Version=A
