NHK said that the quake left 2,476 people dead and more than 17,000 missing as of 9: 30 of Tuesday.

About 1,000 dead bodies were found in the coastal areas of Oshika Peninsula of Miyagi Prefecture.

The number of refugees reached 550,000 and there is an acute shortage of drinking water, foodstuff, petrol, etc. in the quake-stricken areas.

There were 194 aftershocks of magnitude of above 5 as of 9:00 AM on Mar. 14 after the earthquake.

The continued quakes are causing unceasing explosions of nuclear reactors.

The explosion of Reactor No. 3 at the Fukushima nuclear power plant on Mar. 14 was followed by the explosion of Reactor No. 2 at the power plant on the following day.

From the evening of Mar. 14, fuel rods that measure about 4 meters were completely exposed due to the lack of cooling water in the Reactor No. 2, according to the Tokyo Electric Power Co.

The amount of radiation again went beyond its limit in the compound of the nuclear power plant, prompting the company to inform the whole country of the emergency situation.

Two Japanese at work at the power plant and 17 helicopter crews of a U.S. carrier engaged in the rescue activities were confirmed to have been contaminated by radiation.

According to foreign news, Fukushima is turning into a ghost-like city due to a series of explosions of reactors.

Public establishments including banks and post offices were closed and sirens are being heard in every street, stoking a tense atmosphere.

Many horror-stricken people are leaving the city and roads are almost blocked as refugees and trucks are crowding the place about 50 km away from the city.