Japan Tsunami Warning
Updated: 12:52, Wednesday November 15, 2006
A tsunami alert has been issued for the northern coast of Japan, as well as the Russian coast.
Meteorological experts say the giant waves are imminent and the world is watching to see if they hit land.
Around 4,000 residents along the Pacific coast have been told to flee to higher ground and Japan's Government has set up a task force to gather information.
The warning follows an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.1 in the ocean east of the Kuril islands at 11.15pm.
A tsunami of about two metres (6.5ft) or more could hit Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido and main island of Honshu.
The alert also covers Marcus island, Wake island and Midway island.
Sky News reporter Henry Ridgewell, in Japan, said there had been reports that the sea level had dropped by 30cm (12in) in parts of Hokkaido, which is often a pre-cursor of a tsunami.
However, they had also dropped in other parts.
Trains on the island have also been halted.
On Boxing Day 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Indonesia caused a tsunami that killed at least 213,000 people in 11 countries.
In Moscow, a Russian official confirmed that a powerful earthquake had struck the Kuril Islands area but said there was no immediate word of damage or casualties.
skynews
