Major tsunami damage in northern Japan

TOKYO - Japan was struck by a magnitude-8.8 earthquake off its northeastern coast Friday, triggering a 13-foot (4-meter) tsunami that washed away vehicles and tore away buildings along the coast close to the epicenter.

In different locations along Japan's coast, Television footage showed severe flooding, with dozens of vehicles, boats and even buildings becoming carried along by waters. A sizable ship swept away by the tsunami rammed directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture, according to footage on public broadcaster NHK.

Officials had been attempting to assess possible harm from the quake but had no immediate details.

The quake that struck two:46 p.m. was followed by a series of aftershocks, which includes a 7.4-magnitude a single about 30 minutes later. The U.S. Geological Survey upgraded the strength of the initial quake to a magnitude eight.8.

The meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning for the entire Pacific coast of Japan. National broadcaster NHK was warning those close to the coast to obtain to safer ground.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said a tsunami warning was in impact for Japan, Russia, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas. A tsunami watch has been issued for Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and the U.S. state of Hawaii.

The quake struck at a depth of six miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast, the agency mentioned. The area is 240 miles (380 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo.

In downtown Tokyo, significant buildings shook violently and workers poured into the street for safety. Television footage showed a sizable creating on fire and bellowing smoke within the Odaiba district of Tokyo.

In central Tokyo, trains were stopped and passengers walked along the tracks to platforms.

Footage on NHK from their Sendai office showed employees stumbling about and books and papers crashing from desks.

Numerous quakes had hit the same region in current days, which includes a 7.three magnitude a single on Wednesday.

Thirty minutes soon after the quake, tall buildings had been still swaying in Tokyo and mobile telephone networks were not functioning. Japan's Coast Guard has setup job force and officials are standing by for emergency contingencies, Coast Guard official Yosuke Oi said.

"I'm afraid we'll soon find out about damages, given that the quake was so robust," he said