Estimated travel time should a tsunami be generated from Honshu, Japan earthquake.

Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Editor

Hawaii County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is up and running due to tsunami threat. Photo by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7.

Hawaii has been placed under a tsunami warning following a massive earthquake off the northeast coast of Japan. Civil Defense sirens will be going off at 9:59 p.m. HST.

Scientists at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center still are trying to determine if the temblor generated a destructive tsunami.

If Hawaii is to see any impact, it is expected about 3 a.m. Friday.

The U.S. Geological Survey has upgraded the strength of the first quake to a magnitude 8.9, while Japan’s meteorological agency is calling it at 7.9.

The quake was recorded at 2:46 p.m. (Japan time) at a depth of 10 kilometers, about 80 miles off the eastern coast and about 240 miles northeast of Tokyo.

The region has recorded several large temblors in the last few days, including a 7.2 magnitude Wednesday.

A 13-foot tsunami is being reported near the epicenter and a tsunami warning has been issued for the entire Pacific coast of Japan.

Aerial television shots from Japan show water washing across agricultural lands in the Fukushima prefecture, picking up everything – from cars to semi-trucks to buildings – in its path.

Power outages are reported to be affecting some 4 million homes in Tokyo and surrounding areas. Injuries also have been reported.

A series of aftershocks followed the initial quake, including a 7.4-magnitude one about 30 minutes later.

If the 8.9 figure one the first quake is correct, it is the biggest since the Feb. 27, 2010 quake that struck off Chile and caused a tsunami scare in Hawaii. Note: The USGS has upgraded the magnitude of the earthquake to 9.0 on Monday (March 14).

That quake also was measured at 8.8 and caused 577 fatalities.

According to USGS, the largest recorded quake was a 9.5 on May 22, 1960.

Tsunami in Hawaii

* 1946 – 7.1 magnitude in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska – 159 fatalities in Hilo.

* 1960 – 8.3 magnitude in Chile. 61 Hawaii fatalities.

* 1975 – Big Island earthquake – 2 Hawaii fatalities.

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Hawaii County Civil Defense EOC Thursday (March 10) Photography by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
756 PM HST THU MAR 10 2011

SUBJECT – TSUNAMI WATCH

A TSUNAMI WATCH IS ISSUED FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII EFFECTIVE AT 0756 PM HST.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME – 0746 PM HST 10 MAR 2011
COORDINATES – 38.0 NORTH 142.9 EAST
LOCATION – NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU JAPAN
MAGNITUDE – 7.9 MOMENT EVALUATION

BASED ON ALL AVAILABLE DATA A TSUNAMI MAY HAVE BEEN GENERATED BY THIS EARTHQUAKE THAT COULD BE DESTRUCTIVE ON COASTAL AREAS EVEN FAR FROM THE EPICENTER.

AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A TSUNAMI THREAT TO HAWAII.

IF TSUNAMI WAVES IMPACT HAWAII THE ESTIMATED EARLIEST ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST TSUNAMI WAVE IS 0259 AM HST FRI 11 MAR 2011
MESSAGES WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR: JAPAN / RUSSIA / MARCUS IS. / N. MARIANAS

A TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR: GUAM / WAKE IS. / TAIWAN / YAP / PHILIPPINES / MARSHALL IS. / BELAU / MIDWAY IS. / POHNPEI / CHUUK / KOSRAE / INDONESIA / PAPUA NEW GUINEA / NAURU / HAWAII

— Find out more:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center FAQs: www.weather.gov/ptwc/faq.php