Between 200 and 300 bodies have been found on the coast of Japan's northeastern city of Sendai following a powerful earthquake, police told the Kyodo news agency on Friday.
According to earlier reports, 95 people have been killed and dozens are missing following the disaster.
The 8.9-magnitude quake that struck about 373 km (232 miles) from the capital Tokyo sparked a tsunami that hit the Miyagi and Iwate prefectures, sweeping away houses and cars.
A large number of buildings and oil facilities can be seen burning in wide areas of the Pacific coast.
Thousands have been left without drinking water.
More earthquakes measuring over 7.0 on the Richter scale could occur in and around Japan in the next month, the Meteorological Agency said.
MOSCOW, March 11 (RIA Novosti)
