The US military prepared to join relief efforts in disaster-stricken areas of southern Japan after two powerful earthquakes that killed at least 42 people.

A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck southern Japan yesterday, barely 24 hours after a smaller quake hit the region, killing nine people.

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Heavy rain and gusts have ripped through a large swathe of India’s eastern seaboard, uprooting trees and snapping power cables as a powerful cyclone swept through the Bay of Bengal, one of two storms pounding Asia.

Heavy rain and gusts have ripped through a large swathe of India’s eastern seaboard, uprooting trees and snapping power cables as a powerful cyclone swept through the Bay of Bengal, one of two storms pounding Asia.

A powerful typhoon is heading toward Tokyo after lashing southern Japan, where it killed at least one US airman on Okinawa island and left two others missing.

A strong storm has swerved towards Japan’s heavily populated main islands after slamming through the southern islands inflicting injuries on 32 people.

A powerful typhoon has buffeted the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa, paralysing transport and injuring at least 10 people.

Japan has launched a new rocket that it hopes will be a cheaper and more efficient way of sending satellites into space.

Thousands of people in southern Japan remained cut off by floods and mudslides triggered by torrential rains that have killed at least 28 people.

Thousands of people in southern Japan remained cut off by floods and mudslides triggered by torrential rains that have killed at least 26 people, local authorities said.

Troops yesterday airlifted supplies to thousands of people cut off by landslides and torrential downpours that have killed at least 24 in south-west Japan as further heavy rain was forecast.

Heavy rain has triggered flash floods and mudslides in southern Japan, causing at least 15 deaths and leaving 11 more people missing.

Heavy rain has triggered flash floods and mudslides in southern Japan, causing at least nine deaths and leaving 18 more people missing.

IT could be the most costly car crash ever.

A Japanese naval destroyer collided with a commercial vessel off southern Japan, starting fires on both ships and injuring three crew members, defence officials said today.

Tomoji Tanabe, the world’s oldest man, died in his sleep at his home in southern Japan today, a city official said. He was 113.

A typhoon expected to hit Tokyo missed the capital and moved toward north-eastern Japan today after leaving five people dead and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate.

AN 111-year-old Japanese man, who has just been named the world’s oldest, said he owed his longevity to steering clear of alcohol.

A high-speed passenger ferry hit a suspected whale in south-west Japan, and 49 people were injured, an official said today.

A powerful typhoon lashed southern Japan, killing one person, injuring 15 others and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate as gale-driven waves hurtled against coastline defences and storm surges flooded seaside towns.

Officials warned of heavy rains and strong winds today as a powerful typhoon approached southern Japan, forcing airline companies to cancel hundreds of flights.

THOUSANDS of people took refuge in shelters yesterday as aftershocks battered southern Japan a day after a powerful magnitude-7.0 earthquake damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, leaving one person dead and hundreds injured.

A POWERFUL magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Japan’s southern-most main island of Kyushu yesterday, killing an elderly woman, injuring up to 400 people and forcing hundreds to flee their homes.

A powerful magnitude-7.0 earthquake jolted southern Japan today, killing an elderly woman, injuring at least 400 people, and prompting authorities to evacuate half the residents of a tiny island near the epicentre.

A powerful magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of southern Japan on today, injuring at least 155 people, damaging buildings and leaving residents shaken as aftershocks continued. Authorities issued a tsunami warning that was later cancelled.

Ten people were killed and five others were missing today as a powerful typhoon lashed southern Japan with strong winds and heavy rains, causing deadly mudslides and prompting the evacuation of thousands of homes.

Police said one person had died, at least six others were missing and 15 injured as a powerful typhoon lashed southern Japan with heavy rains today, disrupting air traffic, prompting the evacuation of thousands of households and leaving thousands more without electricity.

A powerful tropical storm hit southern Japan today, disrupting transport and whipping up waves and winds that damaged homes, downed electricity lines and forced thousands to evacuate their homes.

POWERFUL typhoon Songda made landfall in southern Japan yesterday, pounding the region with torrential rains and high winds that forced evacuations, caused blackouts and brought public transport to a virtual standstill.

A powerful typhoon pounded Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu with heavy rains and strong winds today, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes and knocking out power to more than a million households.

At least four people were killed and 30 more injured today when a powerful typhoon hit southern Japan.

A swollen creek swept a villager away as Typhoon Aere crashed into mainland China, unleashing torrential rains and prompting the evacuation of a half-million people.

Typhoon Megi has killed 12 people as it swept across Asia. At least three people died in South Korea and nine in southern Japan.

Typhoon Megi swept across the south-west tip of South Korea, leaving thousands of people homeless and at least one person missing, emergency officials said today.

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 has shaken southwestern Japan but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

As thousands assembled in Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park to mark the 57th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bomb attack today, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reaffirmed Japan’s policy against building or possessing nuclear weapons.

A Japanese island now boasts it is the home of both the world’s oldest man and woman.

Two Japanese military helicopters have crashed into a mountain during a night flight exercise, killing at least three crew members.

A strong earthquake has hit southwestern Japan but there are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.