Huge Earthquake in Japan last night

[zeban]

A massive earthquake 8.9 magnitude has struck NorthEast Japan about 8 hours ago and has triggered a devasting 10m high tsunami.

My thoughts, concerns, and deepest sympathies go out to the people of Japan. BBC news coverage show the sheer devastation of it all. My god this is just so sad I wish I could do something.

Anyone concerned about friends and family call: 0207 008 0000 (set up by the foreign office)

[Ridgley]

It is very distressing to everyone involved, unfortunately they are saying on Sky and BBC news that it will hit Hawaii as well.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12714558

[zeban]

I was just on skype with my friend from Kobe who said it is a million times worse what the BBC are repeporting. 100s of dead bodies found every hour, all of the beaches are full of dead bodies.

[Huguenot]

It is indeed a terrible tragedy, but I guess the BBC are quite rightly avoiding inflaming and trivialising this disaster by reporting speculative non-official figures.

The full picture will unfold over the next few days, but I do hope that the media don't get into competitive death tolls to turn this into disaster porn.

[zeban]

Yes I absolutely agree Huguenot.

I was just reporting something I found out from someone actually in and from Japan.