Tsunami watch issued for Hawaii, Alaska and Japan

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami watch Saturday morning for Hawaii after a 8.3-magnitude earthquake in the northern Pacific. The center said Friday the waves could reach the shores of the islands just after midnight Hawaii Standard Time (1000 GMT). Japan's Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings following the quake. The agency said waves as high as 3.3 fee (1 meter) could hit the northeastern coast of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. Officials in towns along Japan's Pacific coast issued evacuation orders to flee to higher ground. The quake struck about 310 miles (500 kilometers) east of the Etorofu islands between northern Japan and Russia, the agency said. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake.