MORE than 1000 people probably died in the massive quake and tsunami disaster that devastated large parts of northern Japan’s Pacific coast, Kyodo News agency said early today.

The news agency report came as grim updates indicating appalling loss of life kept emerging from along the hard-hit east coast of northern Honshu island, where the monster wave destroyed more than 3000 homes.

The National Police Agency said 137 people were confirmed dead and 531 were missing – while police in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, separately said 200 to 300 bodies had been found on the shore.

Fears rose for greater losses as reports came in of a ship with 100 people swept away, two trains missing, and a dam break flooding more homes . . .