Aid donation

An Indonesian family who owns a coal mining company has made a huge donation to Japanese embassy in Singapore to aid the victims of the earthquake and tsunami. The total sum comes up to US$782,000.

The U.S. magazine Forbes ranks the family the third richest in Indonesia, with assets worth $3.6 billion.

Emperor Akihito addresses the nation in rare appearance,

For the first time in history, Emperor Akihito has addressed the Japanese nation via a television broadcast, in wake of the natural disasters that have devastated the country.

He said: "People are being forced to evacuate in such severe conditions of bitter cold, with shortages of water and fuel... I cannot help praying that rescue work is done swiftly and people's lives get better, even a little."

He expressed concern of the unpredictable situation at the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant. ""I sincerely hope that we can keep the situation from getting worse."

Marcus: Japan will affect us all

The catastrophic events in Japan will take it's toll on the rest of the world, SA Reserve Bank (SARB) governor Gill Marcus has said.

Speaking at a Business Unity SA and World Bank gender economic empowerment workshop, Marcus has said: "The reconstruction of Japan is going to be an enormous task." She also expressed concern about rising oil and food prices and the impact it will have on inflation.

Radiation warning

The Japanese government has warned people living near a crippled nuclear plant to stay indoors to avoid exposure to radiation after a third reactor was rocked by an explosion.

"Please do not go outside. Please stay indoors. Please close windows and make your homes airtight," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told residents in the danger zone. "Don't turn on ventilators. Please hang your laundry indoors."

Second explosion at nuclear plant

At least six workers have been injured as a second hydrogen explosion in three days struck Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. A massive column of smoke was seen and it is not immediately clear if any form of radiation has been released.

Death toll could rise to 10 000

The death toll from Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami could rise to 10 000 and more in Miyagi prefecture alone, its police chief told reporters on Sunday.

"There is no doubt that the number will reach the 10 000-level," said Naoto Takeuchi, quoted by state broadcaster NHK. He was referring just to his own prefecture, the region hardest hit by Friday's devastating natural disaster.

The National Police Agency's official death toll as of early Sunday was 688, with 642 missing and 1 570 injured.

Japan 2011 earthquake: facts

Friday's earthquake struck at a depth of 24 kilometres, about 125 kilometres off the eastern coast, the country's meteorological agency has revealed.

Ship swept away

A ship carrying 100 people has been swept away by the tsunami which smashed into north-eastern Japan on Friday following a massive earthquake, according to the Japanese Kyodo news agency.

Zuma sends words of support

President Jacob Zuma has expressed his condolences to the earthquake hit Japan. He has said: “The people of South Africa share the pain and loss of the loved ones, their homes and property, and our thoughts and prayers go to the affected families.”

Those who have loved ones in the country should contact the consular section for more information: 012-351-1750, 012-351-1751 or 012-351-1000.

Warning: countries in the Pacific region

Google has issued a Tsunami Alert for New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, and others. Waves expected over the next few hours, caused by 8.9 earthquake in Japan.

Response from Japanese government

Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan has said: "Government is making every effort possible to minimise damage. The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan. Some of the nuclear power plants in the region have automatically shut down, but there is no leakage of radioactive materials to the environment."

Japan 2011 earthquake: facts

The quake is the biggest to hit the country in over 140 years. It surpasses the Great Kanto quake of 1923, which had a magnitude of 7.9 and killed more than 140,000 people in the Tokyo area.

Japan lies on the "Ring of Fire"- an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones that stretches around the Pacific Rim. It is where about 90 per cent of the world's quakes occur.

One confirmed death

At least one person has been confirmed dead in Japan after a 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan's north- eastern coast, unleashing a massive tsunami on the country's coast line.

Tsunamis: facts

A tsunami or tidal wave is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, usually an ocean, but can occur in large lakes.

Tsunamis occur quite frequently in Japan, approximately 195 incidences have been recorded.

Tsunamis can devastate coastal regions, as it did in Thailand in 2004.