Japan issues tsunami advisories for entire Pacific coast after Chile quake, urges people to stay out of the water

NEW: Japan issues tsunami advisories for entire Pacific coast after Chile quake, urges people to stay out of the water
"But if it's issued, do not go close to the sea shore until it's lifted."

The agency said it would issue a tsunami advisory or warning at around 3:00 am Thursday (1800 GMT on Wednesday) if necessary.

Television footage showed officials in Kochi, southwestern Japan, closing a metal barrier to seal their local breakwater in preparation for possible high waves there.

Large areas of the coastline that are subject to a possible tsunami alert following the Chile quake were also hit by a 2011 quake and tsunami, which killed more than 18,000 and triggered a nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Tokyo Electric Power, which runs the crippled plant, will suspend part of operations scheduled for early Thursday near the sea shore at the plant in preparation for any possible waves, Jiji Press said.

In 1960, a 9.5-magnitude earthquake in Chile sent a tsunami across the Pacific that killed more than 140 people in Japan.
[link to www.channelnewsasia.com]