A powerful earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale shook Japan.

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Magnitude	Mw 8.9
Region	NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Date time	2011-03-11 05:46:23.0 UTC
Location	38.30 N ; 142.50 E
Depth	22 km
Distances	106 km E Ishinomaki (pop 117,233 ; local time 14:46:23.8 2011-03-11) 99 km SE Kesennuma (pop 59,116 ; local time 14:46:23.8 2011-03-11)

Information from:European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC)

The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Pacific Ocean, about 130 km from the northern coast of Japan. Two days ago in the same area was an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale.

At least one person died in the city Takahagi, Ibaraki Prefecture. At least 8 people were missing.

There are many injuries, fires and 4-meter tsunami on the part of the coast, officials said.

All nuclear power plants in the country have turned off automatically.
After the devastating earthquake in following five secondary, the weakest of them is of magnitude 6 and most powerful - 7 on the Richter scale.

After the warning was announced for the 10-meter tsunami wave hit with such a high port city Seng.

Television channels showed thick wall water carrying debris from buildings in farms along the coast. Public television showed flames and black smoke coming out of the building in Odayba - a suburb of Tokyo. Trains in the northern part of the country stopped.

Black smoke rises from an industrial zone in Yokohama. On television shows boats, cars and trucks carried by water after the flood struck the city valnà Kamaichi in northern Japan. There are fires in the city of Sendai.

"The building shook quite long and many people in the newsroom hid under their desks," said Reuters correspondent in Tokyo.

"This is the most serious earthquake that I live since I came to Japan 20 years ago," says Linda Siyg.

"Passengers on the Tokyo subway shouting and holding hands. Shake was so strong that it was difficult to keep straight, "says another correspondent of the Agency - Marika Katsumura.

Warning of huge waves has been to Russia, Marianas, Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Micronesia and Hawaii.

Ministry of Defence has sent military aircraft to check what are the damages.

Earthquake cause the stock market in Tokyo and the central bank announced that it will do everything possible to ensure financial stability.

Northeastern coast of Japan in the past been victims of earthquakes and tidal waves. In 1933 an earthquake with a force 8.1 kills over 3000 people.

Japan is one of the most seizmichnoaktivnite areas in the world. Over 20% of shocks by force more than 6 in the world are in Japan.

The strongest earthquake in history so far been registered in Chile on May 22, 1960 It was an intensity 9.5 on the Richter scale.

Slightly less - 9.2 on the Richter scale was the earthquake in Alaska on March 28, 1964. Thirdly rank Aleutian Islands, Alaska. They quake was of magnitude 9.1 on the Richter scale