Japan and Russia on tsunami alert

November 15, 2006

A tsunami alert has been issued by the Japanese Meteorological Agency after a 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Kuril islands. The alert warns that a 2 metre high tsunami could hit the Pacific coast of Hokkaido & Honshu 1210 GMT. Coastal residents have been asked to move to higher ground.

The United States Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has warned that the tsunami will hit northern Japan and Russia.

An official from the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center as said that the tsunami was not expected to hit Hawaii and the West Coast of North and South America. She added that there was a slight chance of it hitting the western Aleutian Islands.

The United States Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre warning states indicates the estimated inital tsunami arrival times as follows.

NOTE: ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. THE TIME BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE TSUNAMI WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR. IN CASE OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION... THE MORE CONSERVATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE USED FOR SAFETY.