Japan has been devastated by Tsunami and the most powerful earthquake to hit the country in at least 100 years with police there now confirming that between 200 and 300 bodies have been found on the beach near Sendai, the closest city to the epicentre. Japanese NHK Television said the victims appeared to have drowned. Earlier, the Broadcasting Organisation said more than 90 people were killed and hundreds are missing in the earthquake.There has also been a major explosion at a petrochemical complex in Sendai. AFP has reported that Japanese authorities are urging some 2,000 residents living within a 2 km radius of a nuclear plant in Fukushima to evacuate. The plant has been shut down after its cooling system failed. Associated Press reports that Japan has declared a state of emergency because of the failure of the cooling system at one nuclear plant. Officials say there has been no leak of radiation. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has appealed for calm and said there are no reported leaks of radioactive materials from power plants. According to the UN nuclear watchdog agency four nuclear power plants closest to the quake were safely shut down.Reuters quotes a report on Japan's Kyodo news agency which says that a ship carrying 100 people was swept away by the tsunami. A passenger train is unaccounted for in a tsunami-hit coastal area of Japan. A tourist described the Tokyo city at a standstill.The offshore quake measuring 8.9 magnitude has unleashed walls of water that swept across rice fields, engulfing towns, dragging houses on to highways and tossing cars and boats above. Tsunami warning has been issued to 50 countries and territories and minor waves have now begun hitting the Philippines. Tsunami waves have also reached the Hawaiian island chain. In Hawaii people have been evacuated to higher ground and it radio is reporting a 6feethigh wave hitting the beaches in the south. People there are waiting to see if further waves arrive. Auckland-based geologists say tsunami wave is on its way towards New Zealand at 500 or 600 miles an hour.California emergency management agency spokesman says the tsunami could generate waves of up to 6ft when it hits parts of the state's northern coast. He said it is very possible there may be some evacuations there. The tsunami is also expected to reach Mexico's coastline within hours. Ports in the state of Guerrero are now closed. Ecuador has now ordered preventive coastal evacuations. To the north, the Russian authorities said small waves had reached the Kurile Islands. Taiwan reported minor tsunami. Indonesia's eastern areas including Papua, Maluku and Sulawesi are on guard.The offshore quake measuring 8.9 magnitude that struck at 2:46 p.m. local time prompted issue of a tsunami warning. The quake's epicenter was 373 kilometers away from Tokyo. But residents there continued to feel aftershocks hours after the quake. More than 30 aftershocks followed, with the strongest measuring at 7.1.At Tokyo Station, one of Japan's busiest subway stations, shaken commuters grabbed one another to stay steady as the ground shook. Dazed residents poured into the streets after offices and schools were closed. Children cried. Residents said though earthquakes are common in Japan, Friday's stunned most people.The quake toppled cars off bridges and into waters underneath. Waves of debris flowed like lava across farmland, pushing boats, houses and trailers. About 4 million homes had no power in Tokyo and surrounding areas. Shenza Chen of the U.S. Geological Survey says at such a shallow depth, earth quake creates a lot of energy.Firefighters battled a blaze at an oil refinery in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo. Union Home Ministry said in New Delhi today that there is no threat to the Indian coast in the wake of the huge tsunami that devastated Japan. In a statement the Ministry said the Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has ruled out any threat to India. Humanitarian agencies are working with rescue crews to reach the people affected.Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has condoled the loss of lives in the earthquake in Japan and offered help. In a message to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Dr Manmohan Singh said that India stands in solidarity with the people of Japan and is ready to help in any way required with its resources at its disposal.