Here's NHK video of the scene inside a Tokyo office when the earthquake hit Friday afternoon Japan time. This is 230 miles from the epicenter. Think about it:
Links to coverage of aftermath of Japan's 8.9 earthquake and tsunami:
- Live: NHK World via MSNBC
- New York Times: Huge Earthquake Triggers Tsunami Off Japan's Coast
- Los Angeles Times: Magnitude 8.9 Quake Rocks Japan
- Japan Times Online
- NHK World English
- Al Jazeera English: Watch Live
Earlier: An 8.9 earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan about 9:45 p.m. PST Thursday (about 2:45 p.m. Friday Japan Standard Time). Most U.S. cable networks have switched over to wall-to-wall feeds from third parties -- CNN has been running a hybrid of Reuters Television and NHK World. The video images are shocking, though the people narrating seem to have only a dim idea what they're seeing or where it is. The CNN/Reuters/NHK feed has dwelled for some time on the city of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture. The quake hit about 100 miles from the city, and a tsunami as high as 30-feet high swept in shortly after. This is a city of 1 million people, mind you -- San Jose-sized. The destruction is widespread and one can't avoid thinking the loss of life will be appalling.