At least 1000 people are dead and hundreds are missing in Japan after the massive tsunami caused by a devastating earth quake struck north-eastern parts of the country. Authorities say the death toll could be over 1,000. Cars, ships and buildings were swept away by a wall of water after the 8.9 magnitude tremor, struck about 400 km north-east of Tokyo. In one ward alone in Sendai, a port city close to the epicentre of the quake, about 200 to 300 bodies were found. Japan's Kyodo news agency quoting Defence Ministry said about 1,800 homes in Minamisoma and Fukushima were flatened. A ship carrying about 100 people was washed away by the huge tidal waves in Japan's northeast coast and its fate is not known. A passenger train connecting Sendai to Ishinomaki was also missing. A state of emergency has been declared at a nuclear power plant, where pressure has exceeded normal level. Thousands of people living near the Fukushima nuclear power plant have been ordered to evacuate. A large fire erupted at the Cosmo oil refinery in the city of Ichihara. Large fishing boats and other vessels were flying high on the waves and came ashore snapping power lines. Highways leading to the affected coastal areas were the worst hit. Telephone lines were snapped and train services in north eastern Japan and Tokyo, which normally serve 10 million people a day, were suspended. Tokyo's Narita airport was closed. As night fell, streets in Tokyo were jammed with cars, buses and trucks trying to get out of the city. A tsunami warning has been issued in a number of countries in the pacific, South East Asia and Latin America including Russia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Chile. In the United States, thousands of people were ordered to evacuate coastal areas in the states of California, Oregaon and Washington. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has condoled the loss of lives in the earthquake in Japan and offered India's help. In a message to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Dr Singh said India stands in solidarity with the people of Japan and was ready to help in any way it requires. The Union Home Ministry said in New Delhi that there was 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 rules out any threat to India. New Delhi says there are no reports of any casualties from the Indian community due to earth quake and tsunami in Japan. There are 25,000 Indians living in Kanto and Kansai regions of Japan. A spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry said in New Delhi that Indian Embassy in Tokyo and Counselate in Osaka are in touch with the Indian community members and verifying situation on the ground. It said a control room has been set up in the Embassy at Tokyo and the phone numbers are 00813-32622391 to 397. The spokesman said the Ministry is monitoring the situation closely and will take all necessary steps required to meet any exigency.