Devastation in Japan day 2 (March 12)

People on the northeastern coast of Japan are left to dig out of the massive wreckage left by a record-breaking earthquake that triggered a 23-foot tsunami. The official death toll is expected to reach into the thousands.

Section:Gallery

Fri., March 11, 2011

Firefighters, bottom, hose over still smoldering cars among hundreds vehicles being swept and caught fire following a devastating tsunami in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Saturday morning, March 12, 2011, a day after strong earthquakes hit the area.

Atsushi Takedazu Yomiuri Shimbun
A vessel sits after it was washed away by tsunami into urban area in Kesennuma, Miyagi, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.

Kyodo News Associated Press
Members of fire department stand in front of a collapsed factory of precision work in Sukagawa, Fukushima, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
Vessels washed away by tsunami, sit on land in Minami Soma, Fukushima, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
A man walks past vehicles which were washed away by tsunami into the entrance of an elementary school in Sendai, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
A man prays in front of a house devastated by tsunami in Minami Soma, Fukushima, northern Japan after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
Ships drifted by tsunami sit on the land near a port in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, Saturday morning, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
A father and child who lost their home stand in front of debris in Sendai, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
Damaged vehicles are left in Sendai, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
Rescue personnel on a rubber boat conduct search operation at submerged Sendai airport following a massive Tsunami triggered by a huge earth quake in Sendai, northern Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011.

Koji Sasahara Associated Press
People flock around at an appliance store to buy batteries in Sendai, northern Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.

Koji Sasahara Associated Press
An SOS sign is drawn on the partially snow-covered ground of a school in Minami Sanrikucho in Miyagi Prefecture (State), northern Japan, Saturday morning, March 12, 2011, a day after a strong earthquake-triggered tsunami hit the area.

Naoki Ueda Yomiuri Shimbun
Residents walk through debris in Sendai, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
Black thick smokes cover the sky over Tagajo, Miyagi, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
Urban area devastated by tsunami is seen in Rikuzentakata, Iwate, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
Washed out vehicles are mingled with debris at Sendai airport following a massive Tsunami triggered by a huge earthquake in Sendai, northern Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011.

Koji Sasahara Associated Press
People wait in queue to receive water distributed at a park in Koriyama, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, a day after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast, Saturday, March 12, 2011.
A vehicle washed away by tsunami, sits over a guard rail in Rikuzentakata, Iwate, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
A vehicle is buried by mud after it was washed away by tsunami in Sendai, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 following Japan's biggest recorded earthquake on Friday.
In this photo released by Cabinet public relations office via Kyodo News, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan inspects devastated areas around Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, northern Japan from Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's helicopter Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
A man rides through a flooded street in Sendai, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday.
Police officers wearing gas masks patrol in the area of the Fukushima power plant's Unit 1 in Okumamachi, Fukushima Prefecture (state), northern Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011, amid fears that a part of the plant could meltdown after being hit by a powerful earthquake and tsunami Friday.

Kaname Yoneyama Yomiuri Shimbun
A man takes a picture of the aftermath of a tsunami following Friday's massive earthquake in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011.

Junji Kurokawa Associated Press
A stranded elderly woman is carried on the back of a Japanese soldier after being rescued from a residence at Kesennuma, northeastern Japan, on Saturday March 12, 2011, one day after a giant earthquake and tsunami struck the country's northeastern coast.
People who were stranded at the submerged Sendai airport are evacuated on rubber boats from the facilities in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011, day after a deadly tsunami triggered by a powerful earthquake.
In this Saturday, March 12, 2011 photo released by the U.S. Navy, MH-53 helicopters land aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) in the Sea of Japan. Tortuga is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility ready to support earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan as directed.

Lt. Carter U.S. Marine Corps
In this Saturday, March 12, 2011 photo released by the U.S. Navy, sailors aboard the U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) in the South China Sea move pallets of humanitarian relief supplies across the ship's flight deck during an underway replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204), not pictured. Blue Ridge is ensuring the crew is ready if directed to assist with earthquake and tsunami relief operations in Japan.

Mc3 Hart Navy Visual News Service (Nvns)
In this Saturday, March 12, 2011 photo released by the U.S. Navy, sailors aboard the U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) in the South China Sea stand-by to move pallets of humanitarian relief supplies across the ship's flight deck during an underway replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204), not pictured. Blue Ridge is ensuring the crew is ready if directed to assist with earthquake and tsunami relief operations in Japan.

Mc3 Hart Navy Visual News Service (Nvns)
In this photo released by Tokyo Power Electric Co., the Fukushima Daiichi power plant's Unit 1 is seen after an explosion in Okumamachi, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011. The explosion at the nuclear power station Saturday destroyed the building housing the reactor amid fears that it was close to a disastrous meltdown after being hit by Friday's powerful earthquake and tsunami.
In this video image taken from NTV Japan via APTN, smoke raises from Fukushima Daiichi power plant's Unit 1 in Okumamachi, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011. The walls of a building at the nuclear power station crumbled Saturday as smoke poured out, and Japanese officials said they feared the reactor could melt down following the failure of its cooling system in a powerful earthquake and tsunami.
A resident is rescued from debris in Natori, Miyagi, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after one of the country's strongest earthquakes ever recorded hit its eastern coast on Friday.

Noboru Tomura Asahi Shimbun
People who were isolated at an elementary school, head for safety place in Sendai, northern Japan Saturday, March 12, 2011 after one of the country's strongest earthquakes ever recorded hit its eastern coast on Friday.

Shiro Nishihata Asahi Shimbun