Firefighters on the northern Japan island of Hokkaido battled to contain a blaze at an oil refinery sparked by last week’s earthquake, as powerful aftershocks continued to rumble through the region.

A MAGNITUDE 8 quake rocked Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido yesterday, injuring hundreds, cutting off electricity and water to thousands, igniting a spectacular oil-tank blaze and collapsing part of an airport roof.

A massive earthquake rocked Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido today, injuring hundreds but amazingly only two people were feared to have died.

More than 40,000 people were fleeing their homes today after Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido was rocked by the strongest earthquake to hit anywhere in the world this year.

A strong quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.8 rocked Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido today, knocking out power, reportedly derailing a train and staring an industrial fire.