Tsunami forces shut down of Japanese ports

A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit northeastern Japan has forced the shut down of Sendai and Tokyo ports. A 7.3-metre tsunami was seen in Soma port in Sendai and a 4.1-metre tsunami was observed in Kamaishi port in Iwate prefecture in northern Japan, according to the Japan Meterological Agency. The Tokyo metropolitan government said it has shut all 19 of its floodgates to prepare for possible tsunami. A large ship was reportedly slammed into a breakwater in Kesennuma city, while an oil refinery in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo caught fire. The massive earthquake damaged ships, cars and buildings and sparked fires in several areas including Tokyo. The tremor hit at 2:46 local time and seismologists said it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for many years. Meanwhile, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii has issued a tsunami warning for Russia, Taiwan, New Zealand, Chile, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas, while weather agencies in the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, Panama and Peru also issued similar warnings.
(Source:http://en.portnews.ru)