Jr NTR returns from quake-struck Japan

Hyderabad: "RRR" star Jr NTR on Tuesday morning said he had returned from Japan and wished for its swift recovery after a series of powerful earthquakes hit the island country.

The quakes struck the western region of Japan, leaving at least eight people dead and damaging buildings, vehicles and boats, with officials warning people in some areas on Tuesday to stay away from their homes because of a risk of more strong quakes.

Jr NTR, who spent the last week in Japan, in a post on ‘X’ said he was "deeply shocked" by the earthquakes in the country.

"Back home today from Japan and deeply shocked by the earthquakes hitting. Spent the entire last week there and my heart goes out to everyone affected. Grateful for the resilience of the people and hoping for a swift recovery. Stay strong, Japan," the actor wrote on the microblogging site.

"RRR", a period action drama also starring Ram Charan, had emerged as the highest grossing Indian film upon its release in Japan in 2022. The SS Rajamouli directorial had raised over 410 million yen (Rs 24.13 crore approximately) at the Japanese box office.

Rajamouli also sent out prayers for Japan, a country that holds "a special place in our hearts".

"It's very disturbing to learn about the earthquakes affecting Japan severely. The country holds a special place in our hearts. My thoughts are with everyone affected," the director said in an ‘X’ post.

On Monday, the quakes, the largest of which had a magnitude of 7.6, also started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan's main island, Honshu, causing the country to drop its highest-level tsunami alert after issuing one following a series of major earthquakes. Aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas a day after a magnitude 7.6 temblor slammed the area on Monday afternoon.

Eight people were confirmed dead in Wajima city, officials said. Seven others were seriously injured, while damage to homes was so great that it could not immediately be assessed, they said.

‘Kyodo’ news agency reported at least 13 deaths had been confirmed.