14 aftershocks hit Japan
March 12th, 2011 - 11:37 am ICT by IANSTokyo, March 12 (IANS) At least 14 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 5 - 6.8, rocked Japan’s eastcoast Saturday, a day after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit the country and left 1,000 dead.
The damage caused by the quake that struck Friday was amplified by tsunami waves slamming Pacific coastal regions in northeastern Japan.
Up to 300 bodies were recovered in Sendai, the capital city of Miyagi prefecture, Xinhua reported, citing broadcaster NHK.
A total of 725 people have still been unaccounted for in six prefectures, the report said.
The number of victims of the catastrophe is expected to rise to well over 1,000 people, the defence ministry said Saturday.
The National Police Agency said around 1,800 houses in Fukushima prefecture were destroyed.
Search and rescue efforts are being conducted with the help of the US military, with around 20,000 personnel, nearly 200 aircraft and 25 boats being dispatched to the hardest-hit northeastern region.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan Saturday inspected a quake-hit nuclear power plant in Fukushima, where damage from a radioactive leak is feared. He also toured other affected areas.
“I realised the huge extent of the tsunami damage,” Kan told reporters after returning to Tokyo.
The operator of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant opened the valves of the containers housing the reactors to reduce pressure, a move that led to the release of a small amount of radioactive steam.
- Over 20 aftershocks hit Japan (Lead) - Mar 12, 2011
- Japan faces nuclear fallout, quake toll may be 10,000 (Intro Roundup) - Mar 13, 2011
- Japan shaken: survivors look for missing kin, n-meltdown feared (Second Lead) - Mar 12, 2011
- Japan tsunami toll likely to rise over 1,600 - Mar 12, 2011
- Hundreds dead as devastating quake, tsunami hit Japan (Second Intro Roundup) - Mar 12, 2011
- Japan hit by massive quake, tsunami, 200-300 killed (Roundup) - Mar 11, 2011
- Japan quake toll may cross 10,000, no nuclear meltdown (Second Intro Roundup) - Mar 14, 2011
- Quake-hit Japan faces nuclear crisis, toll may cross 10,000 (Third Lead) - Mar 13, 2011
- Japanese PM says small amounts of radioactive material leaked from plant - Mar 12, 2011
- Japanese PM visits quake-hit areas - Apr 02, 2011
- Japan mourns one month after massive earthquake - Apr 11, 2011
- Fresh blast in Japan n-plant; 2,000 more bodies found (Third Lead) - Mar 14, 2011
- 2000 bodies found on Japan prefecture sea shore - Mar 14, 2011
- Japan quake toll rises to 61 - Mar 11, 2011
- Japan disaster toll 1,600, nuclear meltdown feared (Evening Lead) - Mar 12, 2011
Tags: aftershocks, coastal regions, defence ministry, eastcoast, japan tokyo, magnitude earthquake, miyagi prefecture, naoto kan, national police agency, northeastern japan, northeastern region, nuclear power plant, pacific coastal, prefectures, radioactive leak, radioactive steam, rescue efforts, tokyo march, tsunami damage, tsunami waves