8.9 Magnitude Quake Hits Japan … Tsunami Hits Japan (Update: Tsunami Warnings for Hawaii and US West Coast)

A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake has hit Japan. It is being reported as the largest earthquake ever to hit Japan. Early reports state that 32 people have died. Aftershocks continued to shake Japan in the aftermath. In the video below, you can see the damage done and the wall of water from the tsunami that followed the earthquake. The damage is just devasting. Our prayers go out to the people of Japan. Sadly, the death toll has rose to 50; however, this may go much higher. Much more at the Kyodo News, with numerous pics of the damage.

The most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in at least 100 years unleashed walls of water Friday that swept across rice fields, engulfing towns, dragging houses onto highways and tossing cars and boats like toys.

Local media reported at least 32 deaths, with more casualties feared. And the 8.9-magnitude quake, which struck at 2:46 p.m. local time, prompted the U.S. National Weather Service to issue a tsunami warning for at least 50 countries and territories.

The quake’s epicenter was offshore 373 kilometers (231 miles) away from Tokyo, the United States Geological Survey said.

Live Streaming video via Weasil Zippers.

UPDATE I: It is being reported by the BBC that a 33 foot wall of water hit Japan,  the port of Sendai in Miyagi prefecture. A tsunami warning has been made for the Pacific rim, Hawaii and the west caost of the US.

The US West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre said that any tsunami generated by the earthquake off the coast of Japan would hit Hawaii at around 2.45am (12.45pm GMT) and the US West Coast at 7.45am (3.45pm GMT).

Tsunami warnings issued by NOAA

The Tsunami Warning continues in effect for the coastal areas of California and Oregon from Point Concepcion, California to the Oregon-Washington border.
The Tsunami Warning continues in effect for the coastal areas of Alaska from Amchitka Pass, Alaska (125 miles W of Adak) to Attu, Alaska.
The Tsunami Advisory continues in effect for the coastal areas of California from the California-Mexico border to Point Concepcion, California.
The Tsunami Advisory continues in effect for the coastal areas of Washington, British Columbia and Alaska from the Oregon-Washington border to Amchitka Pass, Alaska (125 miles W of Adak).

UPDATE II: More amazing and disasterous VIDEOS of the earthquake and tsunami. Many more VIDEO’s can be seen at the WSJ.

Tsunami hits Japan

UPDATE II: Fire broke out at a nuclear power at Tohoku Electricity’s Onagawa plant. More from Fox News, no radiation leak has been reported at the plant; however, the cooling system failed.

The fire is reported to be at Tohoku Electricity’s Onagawa plant. The Japanese government has declared a nuclear power emergency situation, the news agency Jiji said, quoting the Japanese defence ministry .

However, the UN nuclear watchdog in Vienna saidthe four Japanese nuclear power plants closest to the earthquake have been safely shut down. “The four Japanese nuclear power plants closest to the quake have been safely shut down,” the agency said in a statement, adding it was liaising with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on further details of the situation.

UPDATE III: Death Toll rises to 60 in Japan following earthquake and tsunami.