WASHINGTON, March 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department Friday discouraged all non-essential travel to Japan in the aftermath of a monster earthquake, a tsunami and aftershocks.
"Tokyo airports are currently closed; other airports in Japan may be closed or have restricted access," the State Department said in its advisory. "Public transportation, including trains and subways, are closed in the Tokyo area, and service has been interrupted in other areas. Many roads have been damaged in the Tokyo area and in northern Japan."
An 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan Friday, triggering a deadly tsunami and aftershocks, some of which registered above a magnitude of 7.
The travel alert will expire April 1, the statement said.
U.S. citizens in Japan were encouraged to contact family and friends in the United States "to confirm their well-being at the earliest opportunity," the State Department advisory said.
