Japan earthquakes: North Texas couple in Tokyo describes quakes
TOKYO - Several people have been killed in a powerful New Year's Day earthquake in western Japan.
A 7.6 earthquake hit Japan around 4 p.m. local time, setting off tsunami alerts.
At least 48 people have been reported dead.
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The earthquakes in Japan today, the largest of which had a magnitude of 7.6, started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of the main island, Honshu.
A series of aftershocks have followed and are expected to continue for the next few days.
People have been told to get to higher ground, saying waves could reach more than 16 feet high.
North Texas native Carlie McCleery and her husband Lucas were inside their ninth-floor hotel room in Tokyo when the earthquakes rocked the country.
"We've never experienced an earthquake before, and so it was very bizarre," said Carlie.
"We looked at the curtains or shifting back and forth, like, pretty heavily," said Lucas. "The painting that's hung on the wall is swinging back and forth."
Carlie lives in Forney but is in Japan visiting her husband, who is stationed at an Army base west of Osaka.
The couple was miles away from the epicenter of the earthquake, but said it was still terrifying.
"I hopped up and looked out the window and could see buildings swaying and stuff," said Carlie.
The quakes started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan's main island.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported more than a dozen quakes in the Japan Sea.
Cell phone video shows the damage from the earthquakes, with several stores damaged and items knocked off the shelves.
Security guards evacuated stunned shoppers who were caught off guard.
The McCleerys know it could've been much worse for them had the earthquake hit a few days ago.
"We went on a short cruise that went to the islands of Japan and then to Taiwan as well," said Lucas.
Carlie heads back to North Texas tomorrow.
She says it's going to be tough leaving her husband behind, given the strong possibility of aftershocks.
"Knowing that his base is close to the coast, actually right on the coast, hopefully all of it subsides. And I pray that every town that's affected on the coast is okay," said Carlie.