Tsunami warning in Japan after massive quake
Posted: 15 November 2006 1947 hrs
TOKYO - A massive earthquake struck near the Russian-ruled Kuril
islands in the northern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, triggering a
tsunami warning for Japan's coast, the meteorological agency
said.
The earthquake registered 8.1 on the Richter scale at 8:15 pm (1115
GMT) on the Pacific coast, the Japan Meteorological Agency said in
a statement.
It said waves of up to two meters were on course to hit Japan's
northern coast and the Kuril islands as early as 9:10 pm (1210
GMT).
The agency urged residents to head to higher ground, a warning
passed on by local authorities.
The quake struck some 600 kilometers (370 miles) 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 centers.
Japan is home to 20 percent of the world's major earthquakes,
frequently jolting its cities.
also from CNA,
2-metre waves are on course to hit Japan's northern coast and the
Kuril islands as early as 9.10pm (1210 GMT): Tokyo Meteorological
Agency
