Skip to main content

Photos taken immediately after Friday's devastating earthquake in Japan

Open this photo in gallery:

Houses are swept by water following a tsunami and earthquake in Natori CityKYODO

1 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

An aerial view of a tsunami swamped Sendai Airport in northeastern JapanKYODO

2 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

This graphic provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows estimated tsunami travel times following a massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on March 11, 2011. The quake unleashed a monster 10-metre high tsunami that sent ships crashing into the shore and carried cars through the streets of coastal towns in Japan. The massive quake triggered a tsunami warning for virtually the entire Pacific Ocean, reaching as far as Australia, South America and Antarctica. However local officials in Australia subsequently ruled that the Tsunami posed no threat there.-/AFP / Getty Images

3 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Houses swept by a tsunami smoulder near Sendai Airport in JapanKYODO

4 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Cars and airplanes swept by a tsunami are pictured among debris at Sendai Airport, northeastern JapanKYODO

5 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Frame grab of an overturned boat following a tsunami in HachinoheREUTERS TV

6 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Evacuees are attended to on the roof of a building in Sendai, northeastern JapanKYODO

7 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A screen grab taken from news footage by Japanese public broadcaster shows the refinery plant on fire in Ishihara in Chiba prefecture.

8 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A factory building has collapsed in Sukagawa city, Fukushima prefecture, in northern Japan on March 11, 2011.FUKUSHIMA MINPO

9 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Fires burn in a harbour following an earthquake and tsunami in Natori City, Miyagi PrefectureKYODO

10 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Residents walk through buildings collapsed by a powerful earthquake in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, Friday, March 11, 2011.

11 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A massive tsunami sweeps in to engulf a residential area after a powerful earthquake in NatoriKYODO

12 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Residents check the damage done to a road house in Sukagawa city, Fukushima prefecture, in northern Japan on March 11, 2011.FUKUSHIMA MINPO

13 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A pedestrian road has collapsed in the massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Urayasu city, Chiba prefecture on March 11, 2011.TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA

14 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

People at a book store react as the store's ceiling falls in Sendai, northern Japan Friday, March 11, 2011.

15 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Frame grab of a fire at a natural gas storage facility in ChibaSTR

16 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Women wait on the street after evacuating a building following an earthquake in TokyoKYODO

17 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Broken windows of a building are seen after an earthquake in TokyoYOMIURI

18 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A technician at the French National Seism Survey Institut points at a graph registered today during a major earthquake that hit JapanVINCENT KESSLER

19 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

An aerial view shows debris that remained on the ground after a tsunami wave to hit Hitachinaka city in Ibaraki prefecture.STR

20 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

An aerial shot shows vehicles in Hitachinaka city that had been ready for shipping but were subsquently carried away by a tsunami.STR

21 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Sendai airport is flooded in this still image taken from videoREUTERS TV

22 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A man wades through a flooded street after tsunami spawned by a powerful earthquake in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture.

23 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Residents walk through the wreckage in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture.

24 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A Tokyo office is in disarray after tremors from the massive off-shore earthquake.

25 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

This screen grap shows boats being carried across waters in Kamaishi city port.

26 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A screen grab taken from news footage by Japanese public broadcaster NHK shows people standing on the roof of the flooded airport and its tower control in Sendai.AFP / Getty Images

27 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Flames rise from houses and debris half submerged by a tsunami in Sendai, northeastern Japan.

28 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

People look at the aftermath of tsunami tidal waves covering a port at Kesennuma in northern Japan.Keichi Nakane

29 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A screen grab taken from news footage by Japanese public broadcaster NHK shows capsized ships at a port of Hachinohe City.-/AFP / Getty Images

30 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Vehicles are crushed by a collapsed wall at a car park in Mito city, Japan.JIJI PRESS

31 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A truck remains stranded on a road damaged by a powerful earthquake in Iwaki city, Fukushima prefecture, Japan.

32 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

In this video image taken from Japan's NHK TV, cars are washed away in a coastal area of Kamaishi, Iwate prefecture, Japan.

33 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Fires burn in the port area of Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture following an earthquake in northeastern Japan, March 11, 2011. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-metre 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.KYODO

34 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Houses are swept by water following a tsunami and earthquake in Natori City in northeastern Japan March 11, 2011. A massive 8.9 magnitude quake hit northeast Japan on Friday, causing many injuries, fires and a ten-metre (33-ft) tsunami along parts of the country's coastline. There were several strong aftershocks and a warning of a 10-metre tsunami following the quake, which also caused buildings to shake violently in the capital Tokyo. 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.KYODO

35 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A tsunami engulfs the airport in Sendai, northeastern Japan, in this still image taken from video footage.

36 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

People take shelter as a ceiling collapses in a bookstore during an earthquake in Sendai, northeastern Japan.

37 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A mother and child crouch on a street in Tokyo as an earthquake hits.

38 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

A screen grab taken from news footage by Japanese public broadcaster NHK shows a refinery on fire in Ishihara, Japan.AFP / Getty Images

39 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Ambulances gather outside the Kudan Kaikan hall where the ceiling of a school collapsed during an earthquake.

40 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Office workers in Tokyo's Shiodome district near Tokyo Bay watch as surrounding high-rise office and hotel buildings sway.

41 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

People stand in the street after evacuating buildings in Tokyo's financial district.

42 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

An office building burns in Tokyo after an earthquake.

43 of 44
Open this photo in gallery:

Black smoke rises from a burning building in Tokyo after Japan was struck by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake off its northeastern coast.

44 of 44

Interact with The Globe