Close shave for Bernama editor-in-chief

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 (Bernama) -- It was a close shave for Malaysian
National News Agency (Bernama) editor-in-chief Yong Soo Heong when an 8.9
magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, shaking
buildings in the capital Tokyo.

"I was in a shop in Aoyama district when the building shook. I was killing
time before my interview with the Malaysian ambassador at 4pm.

I ran out of the building...I was on the first floor. Another aftershock hit
just before 3.30pm," he said in his SMS message to Bernama Friday.

Yong, who is in Tokyo for the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro)
assignment said the earthquake struck at downtown Tokyo about 2.50pm.

"Many people rushed out of buildings...construction cranes atop buildings
under construction were swaying, and some children were crying on the streets,"
he added.

He said train services stopped for the next few hours in Tokyo. There was
also a long queue at taxi stands, and power cuts in some prefectures like Chiba
and Ibraki.

Foreign wire reports said that the powerful earthquake had struck northeast
Japan shaking buildings in Tokyo for several minutes and forcing people out of
their homes.

A report said that the earthquake triggered a 4-metre tsunami that swept
boats, cars, buildings and tonnes of debris miles inland. Fires triggered by the
quake burned out of control up and down the coast, including one at an oil
refinery.