Japan Earthquake Picture Story

Japan Earthquake Picture Story

A magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Friday, shaking office buildings in Tokyo and setting off a devastating tsunami that swept away cars and boats. The quake — the world’s fifth-largest since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey — struck at 2.46 p.m. local time.

There were reports of injuries in Tokyo as officials tried to assess damage, injuries and deaths from the quake and tsunami, but there were no immediate details. Japanese television showed aerial footage of an ominous 13-foot muddy wave washing across land along the coast near the epicenter.