An 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan at 2:46 local time, triggering tsunamis in the country and warnings to at least 50 others, including the US, specifically Hawaii and California.

Described by CNN as "the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in at least 100 years," the casualty list was first counted at 50 but was already growing with many, many more likely to come. Tsunamis swallowed cars, the shaking rattled shelves and knocked things down in homes, and many more casualties are expected.

The video footage shot during the quake shows some of the tsunamis that swept across fields and airports, dragging cars and homes and drowning animals and people. There's also some from inside stores and on the roads. It's more terrifying than any horror movie and my heart goes out to the people of Japan.

Here are some of the terrifying and moving videos:

This aerial footage gives a good sense of just why a tsunami is so devastating. The water pushes its way across the land, taking houses and barns and covering everything in its path. The footage is from a town called Sendai in Japan where the Kyodo news agency reports between 200 to 300 bodies have been found. The video:

This footage shows the inside of a grocery store. It's unclear whether some of the people are bracing themselves from aftershocks or trying to restock the shelves, but it's a testament to the Japanese infrastructure. The video:

This footage is easily the most frightening and comes from CNN. These cars must have fallen off a bridge and are just being swept away. It's horrifying to think what might have happened to the drivers or passengers. The video:

This video shows a tsunami wash over an airport:

It's just terrifying to think of what the people of Japan are experiencing right now. My heart goes out to all of them.

Did you watch the videos?

 

Image via YouTube