[LINK] Tsunami Warning - contact bom.gov.au

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Rick writes,
 
> At about 6:00 pm this evening, AEDT, an earthquake quaked off the
> coast of western South America. Since then, there have been reports
> of damage and inundation on the coast.
> 
> Let our hearts and minds go out to the people of Argentina, Chile,
> Ecuador and Peru. It is very early in the episode and I fear the toll
> will rise.


Japan orders evacuation 

February 28, 2010 - 1:15PM 
<www.theage.com.au/world/japan-orders-evacuation-20100228-paqc.html>

Japan issued a major tsunami alert for its Pacific coastline on Sunday 
after the massive earthquake in Chile, and ordered more than 10,000 
people to evacuate vulnerable areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that waves of up to three metres 
could hit the northern areas of Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi, even as fears 
of destructive waves eased across the rest of the Pacific.

The agency also issued warnings for waves of up to two metres along the 
entire Pacific coastline of the Japanese archipelago, from the northern 
main island of Hokkaido through to the southern Okinawa island chain.

First waves could hit the Pacific coast of Hokkaido and the central Izu 
region of the main island at around 1pm (1500 AEDT), the agency said.

Officials said more than 10,000 residents had been ordered to evacuate.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said earlier that the 
tsunami warning it had put in place after Saturday's 8.8 magnitude 
earthquake in Chile has been cancelled everywhere except Japan and Russia.

However several nations in the Pacific, including Australia, said their 
own local tsunami warnings remained in effect after the Chile quake, one 
of the largest on record.

Saturday's quake in Chile, which killed 214 people, revived raw memories 
for Japan.

In 1960, when a 9.5 magnitude earthquake in Chile - the largest on 
record - sent a major tsunami racing across the Pacific, more than 140 
people were killed in Japan.

"Last time, waves that hit after the first one became even more 
powerful," said Yasuo Sekita, an agency official in charge of monitoring 
earthquakes and tsunamis, told a news conference.

"We believe it will be the case this time, too," he said. "The agency 
will keep the tsunami alert for quite a long time."

The agency also warned that the waves could surge higher in the northern 
coastal area because they are expected around high tide.

Cities in the area were cancelling festivals and closing fishing ports, 
while Japan's public broadcaster NHK repeatedly warned local residents 
not to go near beaches or a river mouth.

"Those living in the area, please help old people living alone, take 
their hands and go up to a higher place," one reporter urged.

The Japanese government set up an emergency taskforce at the prime 
minister's office, top spokesman Hirofumi Hirano said.

"Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama ordered that the government do the best to 
ensure safety of people," said Hirano, the chief cabinet secretary.

On Saturday, Japan's Okinawa island was hit by its biggest seismic jolt 
in more than half a century when a powerful earthquake struck, triggering 
minor tsunamis, but causing only a small amount of damage to housing and 
minor injuries. AFP

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