The most severe earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years struck the northeast coast on Friday, March 3 2011. The 8.9 magnitude earthquake triggered a Tsunami which swept away everything in its path. Japanese television showed cars, buildings and farms being swept away by this massive wave.

This natural calamity was reported at 2.46pm Japan Time to hit mid-ocean at a depth of 24.4 km, 130 km (80 miles) from the coastal city of Honshu and 373 km (231 miles) from Tokyo. It measured 8.9 on Richter Scale.

30 minutes later another quake triggered more than 7 Tsunami waves, each about 13 meters high. These waves struck the coast of Honshu.  The earthquake also triggered fire at various places including the Oil Refinery at Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warned the tsunami set off by Japan’s major could wash over some Pacific islands.

Red Cross official Paul Conneally said:

“Our biggest concern is the Asia and Pacific region, where developing countries are far more vulnerable to this type of unfolding disaster.

The tsunami is a major threat. At the moment, it is higher than some islands and could go right over them.”

Soon after this severe quake, news spread like fire on all news channels/sites and social networking websites including twitter and facebook.  Google has launched its “Person Finder: 2011 Earthquake in Japan” service to help the victims and their relatives.

The flow of Tsunami was so fast that the Japanese Airport got flooded in less than 60 seconds:

Here are the pictures just after the quake hit the coastal and nearby areas:

Vehicles washed away by the tsunami in a coastal area of eastern Japan

Buildings burn in Sendai

Buildings and debris were swept across farmland in Sendai

The tsunami hits Kamaishi city port

A tsunami washes away buildings in Sendai

An office building burns in Tokyo

A tsunami floods an area in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture

Passengers on Tokyo’s Yurikamome transit line walk along an elevated track towards Shiodome station

The owner of a ceramic shop checks his damaged wares

A mother and child crouch on a street in Tokyo

Employees at a Tokyo hotel wait for news in the lobby

A man sits wrapped in a blanket after he was evacuated from a building in Tokyo’s financial district

A fire burns at a natural gas storage facility in Chiba

A policeman runs across a street as people stand outdoors after being evacuated from buildings in Tokyo’s financial district

People try to take cover in a Sendai bookshop as an earthquake hits

A ceiling collapses in a bookshop in Sendai