A powerful tsunami spawned by the largest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history slammed the eastern coast on Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. Authorities said at least 32 people were killed.
The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. Dozens of cities and villages along a 2,100-km stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of kilometers from the epicentre.
A utility company in northeastern Japan reported a fire in a turbine building of nuclear power plant. A tsunami warning was issued for the entire Pacific, including areas as far away as South America, the entire U.S. West Coast, Canada and Alaska.
