No tsunami warning issued for Indian Ocean

Honolulu:  A massive quake struck Japan at 2:46 p.m. (0546 GMT) and was followed by five powerful aftershocks within about an hour, the strongest measuring 7.1. The US Geological Survey upgraded the strength of the first quake to a magnitude 8.9, while Japan's meteorological agency measured it at 8.4.

The meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning for the entire Pacific coast of Japan. NHK was warning those near the coast to get to safer ground.

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

Warnings have also been issued for Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Chile, Peru.  There is no Tsunami warning issued for the Indian Ocean.

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