The was a magnitude 9.0–9.1 ( M ) undersea megathrust earthquake Catastrophe off the coast of Japan that occurred Coming_to_be at 14:46 JST ( 05:46 UTC ) on Friday 11 March 2011 , with the epicentre approximately east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tōhoku and the hypocenter at an underwater depth of approximately .

The earthquake Catastrophe is often referred Adducing to in Japan as the and is also known as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake Catastrophe , the Great Sendai Earthquake Catastrophe , the Great Tōhoku Earthquake Catastrophe , and the 3.11 earthquake .

The earthquake Catastrophe is often referred Adducing to in Japan as the and is also known as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake Catastrophe , the Great Sendai Earthquake Catastrophe , the Great Tōhoku Earthquake Catastrophe , and the 3.11 earthquake .

The earthquake Catastrophe triggered Causation powerful tsunami waves that may have reached Arriving heights of up to in Miyako in Tōhoku 's Iwate Prefecture , and which , in the Sendai area , traveled Motion at for up to inland .

The World Bank 's estimate for this disaster Catastrophe means it ranks as the world 's fourth costliest disaster Catastrophe as of 2011 surpassed only by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake Catastrophe and tsunami Catastrophe in Japan , Great Hanshin earthquake Catastrophe in 1995 , Forest fires Catastrophe in 1997 , Indian Ocean tsunami Catastrophe in 2004 and Hurricane Catastrophe Katrina in 2005 .

Tsunami warnings Warning were issued Statement in 53 countries , and the wave caused minor damage Damaging in the San Diego area of California and in the Tōhoku region of Japan , where damage Damaging to the fisheries business was estimated at ¥6.26 billion ( US $ 66.7 million ) .

The accident was started Process_start by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011 .