Asia-Pacific

Developments after major Japan earthquake

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-03-11 22:57

TOKYO - Following are main developments in the earthquake measuring 8.8 that struck northeast Japan on Friday.

   * A large waterfront area near Sendai city is on fire, TV reports say.

   * One train is derailed and another missing in Miyagi prefecture, Kyodo says.

   - Up to 300 bodies found in Sendai city, domestic news agency Jiji says.

   - Some 3,000 residents living near a nuclear plant in Fukushima prefecture, north of Tokyo, have been told to evacuate the area, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano tells reporters.

   - Government says no radiation leaking; evacuation is precaution after reactor cooling malfunction.

   - Bank of Japan to hold policy meeting on Monday, will announce decision same day, cutting short scheduled Monday-Tuesday meeting.

   - First signs of tsunami begin to appear on shores of Hawaii. Local television shows waves steadily rising over southern beaches on Oahu island.

   - A ship carrying 100 people was swept away by the tsunami, Kyodo news agency reports.

   - A train is unaccounted for in one coastal area, Kyodo says.

   - "The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan tells reporters.

   - Quake triggers tsunami up to 10 metres (30 feet), waves sweep across farmland, sweeping away homes, crops, vehicles, triggering fires. Tsunami of 7 metres later hits northern Japan.

   - Strong aftershocks hit northern Japan.

   - Tsunami warnings issued for the entire Pacific basin except the mainland United States and Canada.

   - Countries and regions covered by the warnings include Russia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.

   - Alerts lifted for Australia, New Zealand and Guam.

   - Taiwan has evacuated some residents from the east coast, but lifted the tsunami warning that had been in place.

   - Indonesia has lifted its tsunami warning, its meteorological agency says.

   - Hawaii orders evacuations of all coastal areas.

   * California emergency agency spokesman says 'very possible' there could be tsunami evacuations.

   - Ruling and opposition party chiefs agree the government needs to compile an extra budget after the quake.

   - Power cut to four million homes in and around Tokyo. Several fires blaze in Tokyo.

   - Many sections of Tohoku expressway serving northern Japan damaged. Major fire at Chiba refinery near Tokyo.

   - Bullet trains to the north of the country stopped. The government was to dispatch 900 rescue workers to stricken  regions.

   - Tokyo's Narita international airport resumes some outbound flights after earlier closing, halting flights and evacuating passengers.

    - Tokyo underground, suburban trains halted. Sendai airport in the north flooded.

   - All Japanese ports closed and discharging operations halted, shippers report.

   - Eight military planes scrambled to survey damage. Prime Minister Naoto Kan asks people to remain calm and orders the military to do their utmost to act. Cabinet to meet. The government says more tsunami possible.

   - Tokyo Stock Exchange says it plans to open for trading as normal on Monday.

    - Central bank vows to do utmost to ensure financial market stability.

   - Television reports a major fire at Cosmo Oil Co's  Chiba refinery east of Tokyo, and a fire was reported at JFE's  steel plant, also in Chiba.

   - Toyota says stopped output at parts factory and two assembly plants in the northeast.

   - Mitsubishi Chemical says halts operations of two naphtha crackers at Kashima after a power outage.

   - Electronics firm Sony closes six factories, Kyodo new agency reports.

   - Asian shares fall after the quake hits while Nikkei still trading; European shares fall to their lowest in three months, with reinsurers Swiss Re , Munich Re and Hannover Re all down more than 4 percent.