Fresh pictures have emerged illustrating the moment the tsunami swept into Sendai City destroying all in its wake.

The sheer force of the debris-strewn water has left the Japanese government dealing with a number of critical situations.

Technicians are in a race against time to prevent a major radiation leak after a nuclear facility suffered a second explosion in three days.

As many as 10,000 people are believed dead and thousands more are missing.

Transport has been hit, ports and airports crippled and power and water supplies interrupted.

The cost of the multiple disasters has been estimated at 120 billion euros with reports suggesting the destruction could place Japan back into recession.

Meanwhile, search and rescue teams continue their grim hunt for survivors.