One of the biggest natural calamity strikes in Japan in the form of 8.9 magnitude earthquake followed by tsunami on Friday. Relief and search operations for the survivors have begun in Japan. Tsunami has devastated the north- east coast of Japan and Japanese media reports that death toll can cross 1000.

Survivors have been found standing on the roof tops of the buildings surrounded by debris-filled water.

There were around 50,000 troops for the rescue operations, announced by Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

There were many hindrances in the rescue operations like damaged roads, enduring tsunami warnings and explosion at a nuclear power plant in Fukushima. Due to explosion in the nuclear plant there are chances of melting down of the nuclear power plant so residents in the 20km area surrounding the nuclear plant have been asked to evacuate the area.

Tsunami has washed way the entire communities residing along the coastline, hundreds of people are found missing and it is estimated that death toll will increase with the time. The 33 ft high waves have swept up to 10km (6 miles) inland.

Places like Iwate prefecture, Rikuzentakata, a coastal city of some 23,000 people has been completely destroyed by tsunami as waves reached as high as the third floor of the city hall. One third of the Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture with a population of 74,000 was underwater and the city was also burnt into flames.