it assumes that most elevators came to a halt in the region affected by the disaster. according to toshiba elevator it assumes most elevators came to a halt in the region effected by the disaster. at the moment the company has been collecting information about mechanical troubles. the industry ministers nuclear and industrial safety agency has put in place an emergency center for the earthquake. it will collect information concerning damages caused by the earthquake to nuclear power plants around the country. for those just tuned in to nhk world, you re seeing live coverage of miyagi prefecture in sendai area where a tsunami has struck. a major earthquake hit japan on friday afternoon. japan s meteorological agency says a quake measured magnitude 8.4. we were just watching an unbelievable disaster befalling japan right now as we watch the aftershocks and the effect of a tsunami hit parts of a rural area, also a part of the city area north of tokyo in the
and people on the roof evacuated from the roof to higher ground. the scene reminiscent of two things. we haven t seen this since 2004 when a 9.1 magnitude quake struck off the coast of indonesia. more than 220,000 people perished in that disaster. this is japan s biggest disaster since 1995, 6,000 people perished in that disaster. the waving of the flag from the rooftop reminiscent of the hurricane katrina disaster in new orleans six years ago. we re seeing all of this unfold in japan. normal friday afternoon, middle of the afternoon and this struck. officials there have been saying please get to safe ground if you re along the coastal areas. tsunamis are still likely. additional ones beyond this one, still likely. if you re on the coast, they re urging you to get to higher ground. not just japan, but several other countries. now, interestingly enough, japan uses a different scale for their earthquakes in order to measure them, of course. we use something from geological and use a
right now we re hearing them report on possible damages to actually nuclear power plants in that area. as you see, the tsunami waters just roll through the countryside there taking out homes and boats and cars all along with it. you see the damage here is going to be unfolding in front of us for quite some time. staggering. consider this number, for example, the last big quake to strike japan was back in 1995, a 6.8 magnitude quake, 6,000 people died in that disaster. right now we re hearing various reports of 8.4 to 8.8, even to 8.9 magnitude quake. a much stronger quake than the one back in 1995. you can imagine, as peggy said, the extent of the damage here. literally buildings in tokyo just shook violently. people being evacuated and issuing dire warnings that if you re in the coastal areas, not just of japan, but several other countries to get to higher ground as fast as you can. other tsunamis could be triggered by this massive quake. the tsunami most people are
country of japan. right now we re hearing them report on possible damages to actually nuclear power plants in that area. as you see, the tsunami waters just roll through the countryside there taking out homes and boats and cars all along with it. you see the damage here is going to be unfolding in front of us for quite some time. staggering. consider this number, for example, the last big quake to strike japan was back in 1995, a 6.8 magnitude quake, 6,000 people died in that disaster. right now we re hearing various reports of 8.4 to 8.8, even to 8.9 magnitude quake. a much stronger quake than the one back in 1995. you can imagine, as peggy said, the extent of the damage here. literally buildings in tokyo just shook violently. people being evacuated and issuing dire warnings that if you re in the coastal areas, not just of japan, but several other countries to get to higher ground as fast as you can. other tsunamis could be triggered by this massive quake. the tsunami most people
familiar with hit in 2004 right after the christmas holiday. that was a 9.1 earthquake that triggered that enormous tsunami that cost so many people their lives. now, looking at this right now, we re hearing reports of 8.9. just slightly less than the 9.1 that caused that tsunami. you can imagine that really what we re looking at right now as we see this water roll ahead, what this could mean. it s staggering. keep in mind, this figure with blow my mind and most folks mind, that tsunami from 2004, 200,000 plus people perished in that disaster. 200,000 plus. obviously, details are still coming in or scarce at this point as to what, you know, extent of the damage and death toll may be from this. those other disasters give you some perspective. this an international event. warnings in russia, the philippines, indonesia, taiwan, guam and u.s. state of hawaii. a major, major disaster in that part of the world on this friday morning. we ll continue to bring you