TOKYO, Nov 15: A massive earthquake struck the northern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, triggering fears of tsunami waves from Japan to Canada to Indonesia. The earthquake’s magnitude was 8.1, some 600 kilometres northeast of Japan's main northern island of Hokkaido.

The area where the quake hit is isolated, with the Russian-administered Kuril island chain the closest populated area. Japan issued warnings for all of its east coast from Tokyo north, saying that seismic waves of up to two metres could strike the shore.

In Tokyo, the government set up a special communication office to collect information about the tsunami. But the first tsunami known to hit the coast was a mere 40 centimetres. It struck the north-eastern Japanese town of Nemuro at 9.42pm (5.42pm PST) -- 87 minutes after the earthquake.—AFP