Japan earthquake devastation in pictures

Massive 8.9-magnitude temblor triggers tsunami alerts across PacificMarch 11, 2011, 11:24 a.m. EST

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/slide-show-powerful-earthquake-rocks-japan-2011-03-11?pagenumber=1

Boats are swept by a wave after a tsunami and earthquake in Asahikawa city in Japan on Friday. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan since records began 140 years ago struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings on fire.

Streets are flooded after a tsunami and earthquake in Kesennuma city, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

The oncoming tsunami strikes the coast in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan on Friday. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, cars and farm buildings on fire. A tsunami warning has been issued for the entire Pacific basin except for the mainland United States and Canada following a huge earthquake that hit Japan on Friday, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

Tsunami engulfs Sendai in still image taken from video footage after the earthquake.

Houses and debris burn near Sendai Airport.

Facade of a damaged apartment building in central Tokyo's Higashi-Azabu district.

Natural-gas-storage tanks burn at a facility in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo.

A bicycle lies under rubble in central Tokyo.

A fire burns at a passenger terminal at Sendai Airport after the airport was swamped by a tsunami in northeastern Japan in the wake of a major earthquake.

Stranded people take a rest at a hotel lobby after subway and train were suspended after an earthquake, in Tokyo.

Seismologists pose for the media as they display a seismographic graph showing the magnitude of the earthquake in Japan, on a monitor at the British Geological Survey office in Edinburgh, Scotland.