First tsunami of 30 cm (1 foot) observed in Japan: NHK

The first tsunami from a huge earthquake off Russia’s Far East that sparked warnings around the Pacific was observed in northern Japan, measuring around 30 centimeters (one foot), broadcaster NHK reported.

The wave hit the main northern island of Hokkaido, with NHK warning that subsequent waves could be much higher.

Japan’s weather agency said earlier that waves of up to three meters were expected all the way down the northern and eastern coasts of Japan, as far as Wakayama south of Osaka.

Seperately, workers at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeast Japan were evacuated after the massive earthquake off Russia’s Far East.

“We have evacuated all workers and employees” at the Fukushima Daiichi plant — which went into meltdown after being hit by a tsunami in 2011 — a spokeswoman for plant operator TEPCO told AFP, adding that “no abnormality” had been observed at the site.