Japan: Thousands of quake victims gather in shelters

Tens of thousands of Japanese huddled in makeshift emergency shelters today after a string of earthquakes in northern Japan flattened homes, toppled bridges and derailed trains, killing at least 21 people and reportedly injuring 2,000 others. Eight people were believed missing.

A 6.8-magnitude quake centred in Ojiya, about 160 miles north west of Tokyo, rocked the area yesterday, knocking a bullet train from its rails, ripping through roadways and rattling buildings as far away as the Japanese capital.