A barrage of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks thundered across northern Japan on Saturday, killing at least 13 people, knocking down buildings and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes for safety. More than 700 were reported injured and at least four people were missing. The quakes _ the most powerful a magnitude 6.8 _ were spread over several hours and centered in the city of Ojiya, about 260 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of Tokyo. The temblors knocked a bullet train from its rails, ripped dramatic tears through roadways and made buildings sway in the capital. The quakes ripped one road leading into Ojiya in half, leaving a 20-centimeter (8-inch) gap down the middle and one level elevated above the other. Stretches of other roads had been transformed into concrete waves. «I've never felt anything like it before,» said Yoichi Kato, the owner of a Seven-Eleven store in the nearby town of Kashiwazaki. «It was so strong, I was too surprised to be scared.» The first quake hit at 5:56 p.m. (0856 GMT) and was centered about 20 kilometers (12 miles) beneath the earth's surface, the Meteorological Agency said. At least a half dozen more tremors hit intermittently over the following hours, including magnitude-6.2 and 5.9 quakes, the agency said. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi ordered his disaster management team to monitor casualties and damage, Koizumi spokesman Yu Kameoka said. Officials said teams had been dispatched to assess the damage and offer assistance to residents but that darkness and buckled roads were hampering their efforts. Eleven military helicopters fanned out to check on the damage and help with rescue operations, a Defense Agency spokesman said. --More 2253 Local Time 1953 GMT
