Aerial Photos Before And After 2011 Earthquake And Tsunami, Japan

These readings were obtained from recording stations maintained by the JMA around the coastline of Japan. Many areas were also affected by tsunamis of between 1 and 3 meters in height, and the JMA bulletin also included the caveat that "At some parts of the coasts, tsunamis may be higher than those observed at the observation sites". The timing of the earliest recorded tsunami maximum readings ranged from 15:12 to 15:21, between 26 and 35 minutes after the earthquake had struck. The bulletin also included initial tsunami observation details, as well as more detailed maps for the coastlines affected by the tsunamis.
Elsewhere across the Pacific
Shortly after the earthquake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued tsunami watches and warnings for locations in the Pacific, including a tsunami watch for Hawaii at 7:56 pm Hawaii Standard Time (0556 GMT). At 9:30 pm (0730 GMT) PTWC upgraded the watch for Hawaii to a warning and also issued a widespread tsunami warning for the entire Pacific Ocean. The United States West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for the coastal areas of California and Oregon from Point Conception, California, to the Oregon-Washington border. In California and Oregon, up to 8 ft (2.4 m) high tsunami surges hit some areas, damaging docks and harbors and causing over US$10 million of damage. Hawaii estimated damage to public infrastructure alone at $3 million. A tsunami warning was also advised for the Canadian province of British Columbia, where the potentially affected areas included British Columbia's north coast and the outer west coast of Vancouver Island.