According to foreign press reports, a maximum 10 meter tsunami hit its prefectures on the coasts of the Pacific Ocean, leaving paddy and non-paddy fields and roads submerged and sweeping even fishing boats and large ships to the coasts across banks.

About 300 bodies of the people presumed to drown were discovered on the seashore of Sendai City.

Earthquake caused fires in different places.

A large fire occurred at the oil bunker at Sendai Port and the Ichihara Oil Refinery in Chiba Prefecture. Forest fire broke out in Miyagi Prefecture, turning various places into a sea of fire.

Nuclear power stations stopped their operation, leaving inhabitants of 4 million families in Tokyo and its vicinity without electricity supply.

Many houses and public buildings collapsed and the operation of vehicles and trains and airplanes was paralyzed and communications networks were cut off.

NHK and all other broadcasting services in Japan stopped the regular programs and are focusing on reporting damage caused by the earthquake.

As regards the catastrophic quake damage, the government called an emergency meeting of all ministers to discuss measures.

The quake left more than 570 people dead and over 700 missing as of the morning of Saturday.

Damage is increasing and aftershock is reported from different places.

Strong earthquake occurred even in the far-off coastal and inland areas opposite to the area where the earthquake first occurred, rapidly increasing uneasiness.

The quake, the largest-ever in the history of quake observation in Japan, and the resultant tsunami threw all areas of Japan in the state of pandemonium and quake phobia, said foreign press reports.