March 11, 14:46. A 9.0-magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Honshu Island at a depth of about 24 kilometers.

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issues tsunami warnings for the Pacific Ocean from Japan to the US West Coast. Tsunami alerts sound in more than 50 countries and territories. Within an hour after the quake, a wall of water up to 30 feet high washes over the Japanese coast. Cars, boats and trains are swept away. Buildings collapse. Roads and highways are severed. Fires break out in many locations.

By March 20, the Japanese National Police Agency officially confirms 8,450 deaths, 2,701 injured, and 12,909 people missing across 17 prefectures. About 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan are left without electricity and 1.5 million without water.

Video: Sun Peng
Voiceover: Lin Hanqing
Producer: Flora Yue