Japan Earthquake - Magnitude 8.9 - Massive Tsunamis

Northern Japan was hit by an 8.9-magnitude earthquake on Friday, 11 March. The massive quake triggered tsunamis which reached the coastal areas within minutes. Massive bodies of water filled with debris (including boats and houses) swept ashore in a number of areas.



The Tsunami warnings were issued for other countries as well, including Russia. About 4 million homes in Tokyo and surrounding areas were affected by a power outage.



A series of quakes of large magnitude had already hit Japan over the course of this week. This latest quake had its epicenter 231 miles away from Japan's capital city, Tokyo. The Tsunami waves carried a lot of debris with them and resembled a lava flow. The debris included boats, trailers and houses, some of which were burning as they were swept along.



When earthquakes of this magnitude occur off the coast, they are known to generate tsunamis which pose a great threat to the coastline. According to the US GS, the largest recorded quake was of magnitude 9.5, which hit Chile on May 22, 1960.