Indians safe in quake-ravaged Japan

There has been no report of any Indian casualty yet in Japan which was ravaged by a powerful earthquake and a tsunami on Friday in its northern region, the External Affairs Ministry of India said.

“There are no reports of any casualties amongst the approximately 25,000 strong Indian community in Japan which is concentrated in the Kanto and Kansai regions,” the MEA said.

“Our Embassy in Tokyo and Consulate in Osaka are in touch with community members and verifying the situation on the ground. A control room has been established in the Embassy of India, Tokyo which can contacted on phone numbers 00813 32622391 to 97,” said the ministry.

The MEA said it is monitoring the situation closely and would take all necessary steps required as per exigencies.

Indians contacted by IBNS said they are safe till now.

“We are all doing ok. Shaken up and terrified but we are trying to remain calm,” said Bubai Ghosh, who is based in Tokyo, speaking to IBNS.

India has conveyed its sympathies to the Government and people of Japan.

“We are saddened by the loss of life and extensive damage to property and infrastructure,” India said.

The MEA said while letters of sympathy with offers of assistance are being issued from Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister to their counterparts, Foreign Secretary, Nirupama Rao has spoken to Ambassador Saiki of Japan in New Delhi and has conveyed heartfelt sympathies and condolences, as well as offered any assistance that may be required.

A surging wall of water swept away cars, sea vessels and buildings in northern Japan and devoured whatever came on its way while fires raged in oil installations and people ran out in panic as an earthquake of 8.8-magnitude rocked the Pacific nation early Friday, triggering a tsunami.

It is Japan’s biggest quake in the past 140 years, reports said, since it crossed the 7.9 registered in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake in Tokyo that killed more than 140,000 people.

Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan said there has been no radiation from the nuclear plants as feared and the units were shut down.