CANNED goods, batteries, bread and bottled water have vanished from store shelves and long lines of cars circle petrol stations as Japan grapples with a new risk set off by last week’s earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis: panic-buying.

A TIDE of bodies washed up along Japan’s coastline, crematoriums were overwhelmed and rescue workers ran out of body bags as the nation faced the grim reality of a mounting humanitarian, economic and nuclear crisis.

ENGINEERS in Japan are battling to prevent a meltdown at a stricken nuclear plant, after a third explosion occurred at a fresh reactor late last night.

Japan was overwhelmed today by the vast numbers of tsunami victims.

Rescue workers used chain saws and pickaxes today to dig out bodies in Japan’s devastated coastal towns, as Asia’s richest nation faced a mounting humanitarian, nuclear and economic crisis in the aftermath of a massive earthquake and tsunami that likely killed thousands.

JAPAN battled a feared meltdown of two reactors at a quake-hit nuclear plant yesterday, as the full horror of the disaster emerged on the ravaged northeast coast where more than 10,000 were feared dead.

Japanese officials are struggling with a growing nuclear crisis and the threat of multiple meltdowns, two days after the country’s north-eastern coast was savaged by a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

An explosion at a nuclear power plant on Japan's devastated coast destroyed a building today and made leaking radiation the central threat menacing a nation just beginning to grasp the scale of a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

An explosion shattered a building housing a nuclear reactor today amid fears of a meltdown, while across wide swaths of north-eastern Japan officials searched for thousands of people missing more than a day after a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

For more than two terrifying, seemingly endless minutes, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan shook apart homes and buildings, cracked open roads and unnerved even those who have learned to live with swaying skyscrapers.

Japan is evacuating thousands of residents near a nuclear power plant after its cooling system failed following the massive earthquake.

A massive tsunami triggered by the largest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history slammed into the eastern coast today sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people.

Japan has declared a state of emergency at a nuclear power plant when its cooling system failed after the massive earthquake struck.

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

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.

Pivotal political campaigns began in Japan today, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe facing the first major electoral test of his embattled government.

A strong earthquake rocked northern Japan today, the country’s meteorological agency said. No tsunami warning was issued.

A powerful magnitude-7.2 earthquake struck north-eastern Japan today, injuring 27 people, triggering small tsunamis and shaking skyscrapers as far away as Tokyo, 190 miles to the south.

Three powerful earthquakes injured 421 people, knocked out power grids and set off mudslides across rain-soaked northern Japan on Saturday.

Refrigerators and washing machines jumped away from walls, cabinets came crashing down and rooms were carpeted with broken glass as three powerful earthquakes injured 421 people, knocked out power grids and set off mudslides across rain-soaked northern Japan today.

A British man who was forced to abandon his attempt to row across the Pacific after his boat’s rudder broke was picked up by Coastguards 400 miles off Japan’s northern coast today.