Massive earthquake hits Japan, triggering tsunami, ‘nuclear emergency’ declared

A magnitude 8.9 earthquake slammed Japan’s northeastern coast Friday, unleashing a 13-foot tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland and prompting a “nuclear emergency.”

At least 32 people were killed and there were reports of several injuries in Tokyo, hundreds of miles away, where buildings shook violently through the main quake and the series of massive aftershocks that followed.

The quake triggered problems with a cooling system at a power plant , officials said, prompting the “emergency,” but the officials maintained that no radiation had leaked. A fire was reportedly burning in a turbine building at the plant. MORE