Rescuers save man swept out to sea on roof

A 60-year-old man has been rescued by the military after floating out to sea on the roof of his home when a tsunami engulfed Japan’s coast.

Hiromitsu Shinkawa was pulled from the sea after he was spotted waving a red cloth about 10 miles offshore from the quake-ravaged town of Minamisoma, a spokesman for Japanese forces said.

Mr Shinkawa told his rescuers that the tsunami hit as he and his wife returned home to gather some belongings after the quake. He said his wife was swept away.