Japan issues tsunami warning after 8.3 quake

Updated at 2.45 pm

TOKYO: Japan issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to head to higher ground after a massive 8.3 magnitude quake in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, the meteorological agency said.

Waves as high as one meter were expected to reach the coast of northern Hokkaido around 2 pm (1030 IST) and also to hit the Pacific coast on the main island of Honshu, agency said.

No major waves had been observed by early afternoon.

The quake, in the northwestern Pacific, at 0954 IST, was felt in Hokkaido, but there were no immediate reports of
damage.

The agency urged residents to head to higher ground, a warning passed on by local authorities as well as national network Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK).

NHK broadcast live footage from various ports in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, and other coastal areas before and after the expected time of the tsunami's arrival.

The United States issued a tsunami warning for Russia, Japan and Markus Island in the Pacific Ocean following the quake.

Coastal villages and municipalities under tsunami warnings issued evacuation warnings and advisories to thousands of households.

In Tokyo, the government set up a special communication office to collect information about the possible tsunami.

The Pacific coast of Wakayama in central Japan was expecting a 50 centimetre tsunami around 4 pm (1230 IST), the agency said.