http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/11/japan.quake/index.html?hpt=T1

An 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan early Friday, triggering tsunami warnings and sending people fleeing out of buildings in the capital.

Its epicenter was 373 kilometers (231 miles) from Tokyo, the United States Geological Survey said.

The quake rattled buildings and toppled cars off bridges and into waters underneath. In Tokyo, crowds gathered in the streets and tried to reach relatives via cell phone.

Scenes inside office buildings showed papers strewn all over the floor and people clinging onto seats and desks.

Such a large earthquake at such a shallow depth creates a lot of energy, said Shenza Chen of the U.S. Geological Survey.

A tsunami in the Pacific was moving closer to other shorelines in other countries, according to CNN metereologist Ivan Cabrera.

It triggered tsunami warnings for various countries, including Japan and Russia, the National Weather Service said.

"Earthquakes of this size are known to generate tsunamis potentially dangerous to coasts outside the source region," it said.

"Based on all available data a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicenter."

The quake was the latest in a series in the region this week.

Early Thursday, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 struck off the coast of Honshu.

A day earlier, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off of Honshu, the country's meteorological agency said.

The Wednesday quake lasted as long as three minutes, but did not cause significant damage. It could be felt in Tokyo, 267 miles (429 kilometers) southwest of its epicenter.

CNN is live!!

shit is crazy ain't it?

hopefully we have room here for their over flo.

japan has a history of great earthquakes and

floodings, they will recoupe.

These live images are just WOW.

Absolutely terrible.

I'm watching on T.V. in shock and sadness.

This the worst tragedy that Japan has had since world war II.

7th largest quake recorded.

Sad news.

As usual, our major news networks suck, Al Jazeera English has been streaming their broadcast:

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

I hope all Japanese orgers are alright.

bbc news.. the footage is terrifying, it's gonna be bad

Wow sending my prayers out to Japan...And hopefully, it will be okay ( as far as possible by now :/).....But there will be a possibility of danger for many other parts in the world. Everyone stay safe!!! Sending Love and Light!

[Edited 3/11/11 2:26am]

Holy fuck I just saw the news.

Can't get word from my friends in Tokyo.

Fuckfuckfuck!

Prayers out to the people in Japan... and to the people of Hawaii. The tsunami is about to hit, people are being evacuated... they expect this tsunami to hit the entire American west coast.

Farmlands are being wiped out right now. Mass casualty, this is so devastating.

I hope the people of Japan recover from this quickly, I just can't imagine.

oh crap

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...iapacific/

State of emergency is declared at Japanese nuclear plant

Process for cooling reactor 'not going as planned' in wake of quake, administrator says

i'm going to Japan in a month or so. i have friends i speak to every day...none of whom can be reached.

whistle said:

i'm going to Japan in a month or so. i have friends i speak to every day...none of whom can be reached.

i lived in sendai for a couple of years wayyy back when i hope they are okay. but, how can they be?

my first impressions are "this doesn't look as bad as Kobe 1995". that's my attempt at optimism.

look at that freakin wave go. acn you imagine how it would feel to look up and see that mess coming those poor people. such sweet little towns

These disasters are working my last nerve! My brothers in Yokohama, I'm sure he's fine but I'm unable to get phone contact.

The mobile networks are out and land lines are in and out.

Many of the internet connections are ok so if you are looking for people it's your best bet.

Luckily I've been able to get in contact with a few and they're ok.

Still trying to reach a few but the building codes seem to have held out so well. It's the tsunami that was the biggest problem.

it's been said, if you want to contact someone in japan

please do so by internet, as phoneline will be taxed at best.

looks scary

Wow. I hope everyone's all right at our Japanese division. And that the family of Kanae (our US-based art director) is okay.

SagsWay2low said:

Absolutely terrible.

I'm watching on T.V. in shock and sadness.

Yeah, that whole Asian twist suddenly has a different taste now.

Really hope Japanese will get out of this strongly. And not only Japan, also the less developed islands that don't have the resources Japan has.

Sending strength and love overthere.

These earthquakes around the globe are starting 2 form a pattern.

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just reminds us all how fragile life on this planet really is.....earthquakes are inevitable because of the plates that slowly move around the surface of this planet....

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the japanese are a resilient people...they will cope with this...lets hope not too many lives have been lost...

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Graycap23 said:

These earthquakes around the globe are starting 2 form a pattern.

my personal theory (usupported by any real knowledge or foundation in scientific fact), is that the melting polar icecaps are contributing to a destabilization of the magma core/crust balance.