The National Police Agency said Tuesday that Friday's catastrophic quake and ensuing tsunami have claimed 2,414 lives and left 3,118 others missing in Japan by 8:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Monday).

A total of 1,254 deaths have been firmed in Miyagi Prefecture, said the police agency. Miyagi has thus become the first prefecture where the number of confirmed deaths has topped 1,000.

Figures from police in various areas showed that more than 6, 000 have died or still remained unaccounted for following Friday's disaster.

Separately, the fire department of the internal affairs ministry said the quake and tsunami had destroyed or partially damaged 72,945 houses by 11:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) Monday.

According to local media reports, a lack of food, drinking water, medicine and fuel has been a common problem in quake-hit areas, where supplies of essential resources have been wiped out and communications infrastructures crippled.

A 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific coastal areas of northeastern and eastern Japan, triggering enormous tsunami, causing heavy casualties and extensive damage.

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