One of the biggest earthquakes ever recorded has triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific ocean.

Japan has been hit by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0, after a huge earthquake ripped across the country today bringing devastation to a wide area and prompting fears of a massive death toll.

An earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale rocked Japan’s eastern coast today, unleashing a 33ft (10m) tsunami which swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland.

An earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale rocked Japan’s north-eastern coast today, unleashing a 33ft (10m) tsunami which swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland.