TSUNAMI – AT 8:24 A.M. ET:  A huge earthquake, followed by a tsunami, has hit Japan.

TOKYO — A huge earthquake struck Japan on Friday, churning up a devastating tsunami that swept over cities and farmland along the northern part of the country and threatened coastal areas throughout the Pacific.

Walls of water whisked away houses and cars in northern Japan, where terrified residents fled the coast. Trains were shut down across central and northern Japan, including Tokyo, and air travel was severely disrupted. A ship carrying more than 100 people was swept away by the tsunami, Kyodo News reported. A fire broke out at the nuclear plant in Onagawa, but Japanese officials said it was extinguished.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the disaster caused major damage across wide areas. Several hours after the quake, Kyodo News was reporting 48 deaths, but with rescue efforts just getting under way, the extent of injuries and damage is not yet known.

COMMENT:  It's likely that the casualty toll will grow much higher. 

You may be sure, though, that President Obama is on the case.  After blaming the quake and tsunami on global warming, he'll probably call for an international conference sometime next year to assess what we can do, without intruding on the cultural norms and proud traditions of Asian peoples.   And then it's off to a game of hoops.

March 11, 2011