Tokyo. (Agencies) .- Japan is plunged into chaos following the devastating earthquake of 8.9 magnitude on the Richter scale has desenbocado in a tsunami which has beaten the northeast coast. The giant wave has caused extensive damage, engulfing homes, cars and everything in its path. The effects of this violent earthquake extend beyond the island of Japan and tsunami alerts have stated all across the Pacific Ocean.
Death toll rises at times, exceeding by far the twenty, thirty people there are others missing. The earthquake has killed at least nineteen deaths, numerous injuries, fires, power outages and mass evacuations of residents amid fears of new tsunamis.
The quake has so far caused a ten-meter tsunami that has devastated everything in its path, including houses, cars, boats and farms, according to Japan's NHK television network.
The quake triggered a fire at the nuclear power of the Tohoku Electric Power Company in the town of Onagawa Japan, as reported by Kyodo news agency. Previously, the company had said it had received no information on whether any problems had arisen at the plant following the earthquake.
On the other hand, the authorities of the Fukushima prefecture, where the company Tokyo Electric Power has a nuclear plant, have ensured that the reactor coolant system still works, thus refuting previous information indicated otherwise.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the four Japanese nuclear power plants over the sea near the area where the earthquake occurred has been closed for security reasons. The IAEA said in a statement that is trying to collect more information to know which countries and nuclear facilities could be jeopardized by the tsunami from the quake.
The Japanese media have reported that the Government has decided to declare an emergency situation of nuclear energy, something that happens when it is confirmed that radioactive leaks have occurred at nuclear power plants or when the cooling system is damaged reactor.
The population has been evacuated to higher ground. Besides, the earthquake, there have been numerous aftershocks and the capital Tokyo, some buildings have trembled. Weather Service warns that a strong Japanese Repila could arise again in a few hours in the north of the island.
Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, has ensured that the population has reacted calmly and that the buildings have answered "good" because of its architecture, but have posted at least 200 buildings collapsed in the northeast.
The Japan Government has indicated that the damage was "great." The Japanese authorities have asked Tokyoites to stay in the center of the city and not try to get to their homes if they live in the suburbs, because the trains do not work today. The Shinkansen bullet train or canceled continue throughout the day, according to the company JR East.
The epicenter was in the Pacific Ocean 130 kilometers from the Ojika peninsula, at a depth of six miles, in the same area two days ago there was another earthquake measuring 7.3 degrees on the Richter scale caused no damage. This is the fifth most powerful earthquake in the world since 1906 according to the USGS and the most serious in the country over the past 20 years.
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