Tsunami waves to reach China; no serious damage expected

GUANGDONG - Tsunami waves triggered by a powerful earthquake in Japan would reach China's southern and eastern coastal provinces late Friday, but would not bring serious damages, ocean forecast officials said.

The waves would reach east Guangdong province, coastal Fujian and Zhejiang provinces at around 10 pm, with heights between 0.3 to 0.6 meters, which were below danger levels, said Bai Yiping, director of a forecasting center under the State Oceanic Administration.

Still, Guangdong's maritime affairs bureau has suspended passenger ferry services in its eastern coastal areas and ordered 24-hour patrols.

An 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Japan's northeastern Honshu island Friday afternoon, triggering a ferocious tsunami.

The waves, as high as 0.3 meters, would also reach east China's Jiangsu province and Shanghai municipality after midnight.

相关中文报道（摘自腾讯网）

据太平洋海啸警报中心测定，2011年03月11日13时46分(北京时间)，日本本州东部海域(38.2°N, 142.5°E)发生8.8级地震，震源深度为10公里。国家海洋预报台预计，海啸波将于11日17时30分前后到达我国台湾东部沿海，波高为50到 100厘米；于21时前后到达浙江、福建沿海，波高为30到60厘米左右；于22时前后到达广东东部沿海，波高为40厘米以内；于12日凌晨2时前后到达江苏、上海沿海，波高为30厘米左右。由于海啸最大波高已达到50-100厘米的警报标准，国家海洋预报台根据《海啸灾害应急预案》，发布海啸蓝色警报。