Tsunami waves hit Japan after Chile quake

A tsunami of up to 40 cm was observed early Thursday at a port of Iwate prefecture, which lies on the Pacific coast of northeastern Japan, after a powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake in Chile, local media reported.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami alert for Pacific coastal areas of Hokkaido and the Tohoku region, some parts of the Kanto region and the Izu and Ogasawara islands, Xinhua reported.

Iwate's Kuji port also observed a tidal wave of about 20cm at 6:52 a.m. local time, bigger tsunamis were monitored later, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

A major 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northern Chile late Tuesday, triggering small landslides, cutting power and generating a tsunami. It left six people dead, Chile officials said.