Japan could issue tsunami advisory from M 8.2 Chile quake

Tsunami waves up to 1 meter could hit the Japanese coasts early Thursday following a magnitude 8.2 earthquake off Chile, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Wednesday. "There is a possibility that tsunami waves about 20 centimeters to 1 meter high will arrive at Japan''''s Pacific coasts early Thursday, but we are still evaluating the threat," agency official Yohei Hasegawa told a news conference. The massive earthquake struck off the northern coast of Chile at 8:46 Tuesday local time. "If necessary, we will issue a tsunami advisory or warning around 3:00 a.m. Thursday (1800 Wednesday GMT)," said Hasegawa. According to the official, the first wave could reach the eastern part of Japan''''s northernmost island of Hokkaido at about 5 a.m. He also urged the residents of the coastal areas to take precautionary measures and stay away from the coastline in case tsunami alert is issued. The government also set up an information liaison office within the crisis management center of the Prime Minister''''s Office to gather information. When a magnitude 8.8 quake hit Chile in February 2010, which killed more than 500 people, Japanese observed a 1.2-meter tsunami.