On Friday March 11 just before 3pm local time (6 am GMT),  the biggest earthquake on record to hit Japan, struck the north east coast in Sendai, triggering a 10m tsunami that swept away everything in its path.

Latest update: Tuesday 15 March 2011

Thank you so much for praying for the situation in Japan. Here is the latest from our teams:

There have been well over 150 aftershocks, some of them around intensity 5. These are very nerve racking for those who so recently experienced the big earthquake. Another Intensity 7 tremor is forecast on the Pacific Side sometime this week– potentiallyaround Nagoya area.

Radiation is predicted to come to Ishikawa (where OM Japan is located); the government is evacuating old people in the area of the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.  American Nuclear experts are here to help.

Although electricity is restored, there is a shortage of food and water;  telephones and mobile phones are unreliable.  Volunteers have come from many nations to help.

Please pray

• Pray for OM Japan team members
• Pray concerning the nuclear issue, there are suggestions to wear hats and coats outside and shower when coming inside in case of fall out.
• Everyone is stressed by the constant  aftershocks.
• Panic buying has started – there is no petrol, bread, candles, rice and many other supplies.
• The weather is forecast to be extremely cold, and with limited electricity, this will make life even harder.

OM Japan faces the Japan Sea side and so the team were not affected, although they experienced many aftershocks. OM team members living in Tokyo are all safe.

Although they have experienced many earthquakes in the past, this one was longer and stronger than anything they’ve known. Pictures fell off shelves, books flew out of bookshelves, the TV crashed to the ground, the printer fell down and heaters shut down. They – along with many others, currently have no hot water nor can they use their oven. Huge aftershocks continued for hours.

The café where they have ministry seems to have only sustained minor damage, the microwave falling down, the oven being moved and a lot of crafts falling with some breakages.

Emerita Sakai reports that the devastation of the tsunami is beyond description with people on the rooftops of tall buildings, cars flowing like plastic bottles. Throughout the area there has been significant flooding and a number of fires caused by the quake as well as tsunami warnings. A few nuclear plants have been affected by the earthquake and a petrol depot is burning.  People reported seeing a flow of cars being carried by the waves like plastic bottles.

Many have died but numbers are not confirmed yet. We value your prayers for ongoing safety, for those who have lost lives and properties and for the clean up process.