Pacific On Alert After Tsunami Hits Japan

Tsunami Alert for New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, and others. Waves expected over the next few hours, caused by 8.9 earthquake in Japan.

The US islands of Hawaii and nations across the Pacific ocean are bracing themselves after a tsunami warning was extended across the region. Skip related content
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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).

Sky News US correspondent Robert Nisbet in the Hawaii resort of Wakiki said that some people were being told to move inland and others urged to move to the upper floor of buildings in case a tsunami hits.

"We understand that on Oahu there are 30,000 people in unsafe areas who are being told to move half a mile inland," he said.

"But what are talking about here in Wakiki is a vertical evacuation. There are a lot of skyscrapers here, a lot of hotels that sit along the Pacific coast. They are asking people who are below the third floor to move above the third floor and listen to the radio and TV for instructions.

"We have just been down to the shops ourselves to pick up some water and supplies and there are a lot of people down there."

Civil defence sirens were sounded statewide shortly before 10pm local time to alert residents. The tsunami warning said that all islands in the Hawaiian chain were in the path of potential damage.

Heavy traffic and long lines at petrol stations were reported on Oahu as residents tried to begin their journeys inland.

As residents prepared for the possible tsunami, a 4.5 magnitude quake hit Hawaii's Big Island, about 30 miles southeast of Hilo.

Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and the entire Pacific coast of Central and South America were also on alert. Tsunami waves were due to make landfall at the following times:

:: 9am - Northern Mariana Islands - no large waves hit

:: 9.17am - Guam - initially appears unaffected

:: 10.02am - Philippines

:: 11:32am - Papua New Guinea

:: 11.35am - Indonesia

:: 1.10pm - Hawaii

:: 2.16pm - Vanuatu

:: 2.53 - Samoa

:: 3.35pm - Australia

:: 4.12pm - US west coast

:: 5.23pm - New Zealand

:: 11.00pm - Easter Island

Oceanographer Dr Simon Boxhall said: "The fact that a 10m wave has hit Japan implies that there is the scope for a wave to go right across the Pacific.

"The wave moves very quickly - it moves in the deep ocean at about the speed of a jumbo jet. The advantage is that we get plenty of warning as you head further away from the epicentre," he said.

"When we had a similar earthquake off the Chilean coast last year they tracked that tsunami for about 12 hours in total. It caused a lot damage around Chile but had largely fizzled out before Hawaii.

"But in this case you never know. It is happening in relatively deep water, it's propagating out across an open Pacific and so there is potential for damage to be caused all around the Pacific coast."

The Red Cross has warned that the tsunami waves could wash right over some Pacific islands as the wave is curently higher than some of them.

"Our biggest concern is the Asia and Pacific region, where developing countries are far more vulnerable to this type of unfolding disaster. The tsunami is a major threat," spokesman Paul Conneally said.

Ocean waves up to two metres above normal sea level were detected by deep-ocean gauges near Wake island, Midway and Guam in the North Pacific, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

Residents of the US territory of Guam were urged to move at least 15m above sea level and 30m inland.

Disaster management expert Geoff Williams: "The key thing in these areas that could be affected is that the companies like petrochemical companies, electric companies, will be assessing if they should shut down.

"Equally, old folks' homes, hospitals, schools they can start to make sure these are closed and they can start evacuating areas."

Taiwan's central weather bureau said minor tsunamis had reached the island's coastline without causing any damage.

Russian authorities on the far eastern Sakhalin Island and nearby territories have evacuated some 11,000 residents from coastal areas in anticipation that tsunami waves could hit several villages.

Residents on the eastern coast of the Philippines were also ordered to leave their homes.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110311/twl-pacific-on-alert-after-tsunami-hits-3fd0ae9.html

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Effects of the Japanese Tsunami,fire at a reactor plant

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This is too bad o. 7.9 is not something to be taken with soft gloves . I hope the epi-center does not suffered such earthquake at that magnitude before the tsunami hit the coastal areas else , . . . .

The nuclear plants in Japan are now officially on red alert,I pray the after shocks don't trigger any nuclear reaction as the implications could be deadlier than anybody can imagine

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Japan confirms nuclear plant explosion

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20110312/twl-japan-confirms-nuclear-plant-explosi-41f21e0.html

What happens next after the nuclear plant explodes? Worse than the earthquake and tsunami combined?

LoveKing:

What happens next after the nuclear plant explodes? Worse than the earthquake and tsunami combined?

^^^
I guess we'll have to wait and see how all the talk about meltdown or no meltdown plays out
Our prayers are with the people of Japan that thiss too shall pass soon

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At least they should have anticipated such since they are 100% sure that all events must have a scientific backup.

I can only imagine large gruops of atheist screaming God Richard Dawkins come and help us after seeing the hit! lol

***Edited***
Dawkins and that other fellow Steve Hawking,that one has not been able to help himself.
Sincerely,of all men on earth,Hawking is the one I pity the most;he is a fool(scripture says only a fool says in his heart that there's no God),plus he is so incapacitated you wonder why he makes so much noise about there not being any God.

Well,this incident goes to show that despite what man may think of himself,he is still no match for the smallest manifestation of God's power,man is simply clueless

rasputinn:

Well,this incident goes to show that despite what man may think of himself,he is still no match for the smallest manifestation of God's power,man is simply clueless

On point mate!

rasputinn:

Dawkins that has not been able to help himself.
Sincerely,of all men on earth,Dawkins is the one I pity the most;he is a fool(scripture says only a fool says in his heart that there's no God),plus he is so incapacitated you wonder why he makes so much noise about there not being any God.

Erm . . . don't you mean Stephen Hawking, the physicist? Richard Dawkins is not incapacitated o

@Topic,
Tragic. But it was bound to happen sometime. Those guys have been sitting on a natural bomb for a while now. It's just tragic. Human endeavour sha. All the technology and science won't save us when the end finally comes.

rasputinn:

Dawkins that has not been able to help himself.
Sincerely,of all men on earth,Dawkins is the one I pity the most;he is a fool(scripture says only a fool says in his heart that there's no God),plus he is so incapacitated you wonder why he makes so much noise about there not being any God.

Well,this incident goes to show that despite what man may think of himself,he is still no match for the smallest manifestation of God's power,man is simply clueless

saintneo:

On point mate!

If you think your god did this then whats the difference between him and the devil?

God bless the dead!

looting time. got a VCR at the back of my car that i ganked from the slosen swapmeet

The pictures are so heartwrenching.

AjanleKoko:

All the technology and science won't save us when the end finally comes.

rasputinn:

despite what man may think of himself,he is still no match for the smallest manifestation of God's power,man is simply clueless

el_cij:

If you think your god did this then whats the difference between him and the devil?

God did not do it. God simply did not intervene. see for God to intervene in your affairs ? you have to ask for his permission. until then ? you are left at the mercy of Beelzebub.

@ el_cij: point of correction, Dn't make such comparsions again, Jeez r u an atheist too? Cuz this happened does nt mean God does nt exist nor he's nt seein watz happenin down der. Sumtyms as i have cum to no in life sum of dis tinz happen so dat his wonderful will will b done. Afta all Jesus told us dis will happen,

@ Post: God please help Japan. Help dem to recover from this, Amen,

I dont know, but it seems living close to the beach seems like a dumb thing now.
I hope those people rushing to the shores of Lekki heed sha!

lionness:

I dont know, but it seems living close to the beach seems like a dumb thing now.
I hope those people rushing to the shores of Lekki heed sha!

whats in a tsunami when you can wake up everyday and get a glimpse of the beach ? its worth the risk




NOT

Rhino.5dm:

At least they should have anticipated such since they are 100% sure that all events must have a scientific backup.

I can only imagine large gruops of atheist screaming God Richard Dawkins come and help us after seeing the hit! lol

rasputinn:

Dawkins that has not been able to help himself.
Sincerely,of all men on earth,Dawkins is the one I pity the most;he is a fool(scripture says only a fool says in his heart that there's no God),plus he is so incapacitated you wonder why he makes so much noise about there not being any God.

Well,this incident goes to show that despite what man may think of himself,he is still no match for the smallest manifestation of God's power,man is simply clueless

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! deep talk!!!

May God help these people

Religious people are funny sha, talking about people who live a far better life than you even in their unbelief, Nigeria with all its religious people still has a far higher mortality rate than these people, their country is sitting on a fault, so, earthquakes are bound to happen, if Nigeria were sitting there, the same thing will happen to us, infact far worse will.

@Buzugee

So God will tell the tsunami not to happen after an earthquake registering 8.9 on the richter scale? Bros, abeg use your brain small.