A massive earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan, triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive damage.
Japanese television showed cars, ships and even buildings being swept away by a vast wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake. The quake has sparked fires in several areas including Tokyo, and numerous casualties are feared.
It struck about 250 miles (400km) from the capital at a depth of 20 miles. There have been powerful aftershocks. The tremor hit at 1446 local time (0546 GMT). Seismologists say it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for many years.
The earthquake also triggered a number of fires, including one at an oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo, engulfing storage tanks. There were reports of about 20 people injured in Tokyo after the roof of a hall collapsed on to a graduation ceremony. Residents and workers in Tokyo rushed out of apartment buildings and office blocks and gathered in parks and open spaces as aftershocks continued to hit. The BBC news website show footage here of an enormous wave relentlessly destroying houses, factories and sweeping away people trying to flee in cars.
Driftworks and it’s community would like to extend it’s sincere thoughts out to our friends in Japan who have been affected by it – we hope you’re all safe.
Holy shit! Best of wishes to those over there! Hopefully all are ok!
my thoughts are with everyone out there,a truly horrific ordeal,god bless x x
this really is a tragedy!! clearly not something to wish on anyone! (but i cannot take the thought out of my mind that if this has happened and their economy has already fallen, does this mean we get cheaper cars? IM NOT BEING SICK OR TRYING TO BE OUT OF ORDER AT ALL JUST AN HONEST THOUGHT)
im still alive woooo whooo…
the blunt of it is in mainland… but we are being told we could get some mild tremmors or earth quakes down here in okinawa…
hansen… im with you… i hope the yen rate gets better hahahahaahahah maybe i can save a buck or two while i am over here…
i got friends up in kawasaki that said they just got there phones back up there… and things are slowly picking back up… but as long as the nuclear reactor doesnt go off… then they should be fine…
lets cross our fingers we dont get a second Chernobyl hahahhaha