Japan braces for second earthquake

A pleasure boat sits on top of a building amid a sea of debris in Otsuchi town, Iwate prefecture. (Getty Images)

 

By AFP with ninemsn staff

 

Another massive earthquake with a potential magnitude of 7.9 could strike Japan in the next two days, sparking fresh fears it will trigger another tsunami in the country's devastated north-east.

Seismologists have warned a powerful quake may hit the region, which continues to experience aftershocks of up to 6.2 in the wake of Friday's deadly 9.0 quake and tsunami.

The official death toll in Japan tragedy has reached 1800, with fears it could climb to more than 10,000.
Earlier today 2000 bodies were found on two shores in the Miyagi prefecture in Japan's north-eastern coast.

Kyodo news agency reports that about 1000 bodies washed ashore off Miyagi's Ojika Peninsula and another 1000 bodies were sighted in the town of Minamisanriku.

Minamisanriku is the town where about 10,000 people are still missing — more than half of the local population.

According to Kyodo news agency, however, officials are working to confirm reports that many Minamisanriku residents have evacuated to nearby Tome city. 

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