A powerful 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Japan, forcing all ports to close and damaging vessels along large parts of the country's coastline.

A 10-metre tsunami swept away houses and cars, Reuters reported. An oil refinery in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo caught fire. The massive earthquake damaged ships, cars and buildings and sparked fires in several areas including Tokyo. The photographs of the port of Hachinohe, north of Sendai, show vessels grounded on their side on the shorefront.

 The tremor hit at 2:46 local time and seismologists said it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan in 140 years.

Meanwhile, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii has issued a tsunami warning for Russia, Taiwan, New Zealand, Chile, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas, while weather agencies in the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, Panama and Peru also issued similar warnings.