Tsunami evacuations in Guam

Hawaii’s Tsunami warning system is activated, a wave is inbound.

USGS DATA site

By MALCOLM FOSTER, Associated Press Malcolm Foster, Associated Press – 18 mins ago

TOKYO – A ferocious tsunami spawned by one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded slammed Japan’s eastern coast Friday, killing at least 60 people as it swept away boats, cars and homes while widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West Coast.

The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami and was followed by more than 20 aftershocks for hours, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0.

Police said at least 60 people were killed and 56 were missing. The death toll was likely to continue climbing given the scale of the disaster.

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.

“The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan,” Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Japan issued a state of emergency at a nuclear power plant after its cooling system had a mechanical failure. Trouble was reported at two other nuclear plants as well, but there was no radiation leak at any.

KYODO NEWS IN ENGLISH

JAPAN TIMES IN ENGLISH

PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER

I added M’s Tsunami warning here:

Tsunami Alert for New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, and others. Waves expected over the next few hours, caused by 8.9 earthquake in Japan

Tsunami warning issued for at least 50 areas after quake

(CNN) — The threat of a tsunami prompted the U.S. National Weather Service to issue a warning for at least 50 countries and territories after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan Friday.

The wide-ranging list includes Russia and Indonesia, Central American countries like Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica and the U.S. state of Hawaii. The weather service’s bulletin is intended “as advice to government agencies.”

The quake, which struck near the coast of Honshu, Japan on Friday afternoon, unleashed a wall of water that rushed in toward land, leveling houses and bashing cars in its path.

Our prayers go out to the people of Japan and everyone that is in the path facing devastation.

Island Libertarian – GO HIGH! ! !

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NHK VID: Those are cars you see in the vid.

more vid H/T Bob in Breckenridge: