Tsunami to hit Japan

[Wolfie]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20766068-2,00.html

A MASSIVE earthquake struck near the Russian-ruled Kuril islands in the northern Pacific Ocean, triggering a tsunami warning for Japan's coast.

The earthquake registered 8.1 on the Richter scale at 10.15pm (AEDT) last night on the Pacific coast, the Japan Meteorological Agency said in a statement.

It said waves of up to two metres were on course to hit Japan's northern coast and the Kuril islands as early as 11.10pm.

The agency urged residents to head to higher ground, a warning passed on by local authorities.

The quake struck 600km northeast of Japan's main northern island of Hokkaido on the Kuril island chain, too far away to be felt in Japan's major population centres.

Japan is home to 20 per cent of the world's major earthquakes, frequently jolting its cities.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage caused by the quake, which residents said could barely be felt in Japan.

Authorities have ordered residents living along the northern and eastern coasts of Hokkaido to evacuate to higher ground, according to public broadcaster NHK.

In the Hokkaido city of Kushiro, fire and city officials were urging residents to move to safety, city official Masatoshi Sato said.

Keiichi Kimura, a Hokkaido police officer, said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake. Railway officials ordered trains on Hokkaido to stop at nearby stations as a precaution, NHK said.

The Government set up an emergency task force at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's office, officials said.

The US Geological Survey reported a 7.8 magnitude quake centred 443km east-northeast of the Kuril Islands at a depth of 27.7km.

Tsunami waves - generated by earthquakes - are often barely noticeable in the ocean but can rise to great heights once they arrive at shore.

A tsunami advisory was issued for Hawaii, where the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no threat of a destructive wave there.

[Archedgar]

That's always bad news

[Gunsmith]