EAST Yorkshire people caught up in Japan's devastating earthquake have spoken of their horror as the quake struck, triggering a massive tsunami.
The country's worst-ever earthquake hit north-east Japan yesterday, prompting fears of a massive death toll.
Ex-pat Dan Lawes, an English teacher from Hull, lives in the country's second largest city,Yokohama, with his Japanese wife and two children.
He was in school when the quake shook the port city, half an hour south of Tokyo.
Mr Lawes, who has lived in Yokohama since 2004, told the Mail: "When the first wave hit it sort of built up gradually, until even the bridge outside was wobbling.
"It was a very weird feeling, suddenly making you feel very vulnerable and almost insignificant.
"It is pretty unnerving sitting in a massive concrete block like this. It is like being seasick from the gentle rocking of the classroom.
"All the phone lines have been overloaded and I haven't been able to get in touch with my family out here yet."
Another English teacher from Hull, Philip Lee, 35, lives and works in Osaka, about 400 miles from the epicentre.
Mr Lee said: "It took only three seconds to reach us and was powerful enough to set the tower blocks and sky scrapers of downtown Osaka swaying.
"Looking out of my ninth floor window the buildings around looked as though they'd turned to jelly.
"Very odd for 30 floor high concrete and steel buildings.
"The interior walls of my office buckled in and out so much it was like a Rolf Harris wobble board."
Mr Lee described a very strong feeling of nausea as the quake struck.
He added: "After two or three similar after shocks, I discovered a very real sensation of having sea legs for about half an hour."
Ex-Cottingham High School pupil Gary Wilkinson, 25, is an assistant language teacher on the island of Shikoku, in the south east of Japan.
He contacted his parents Barry and Susan Wilkinson in west Hull and girlfriend Emma Pedley in Cottingham to assure them he was safe.
However he said there is a major tsunami warning following the earthquake.
He Mail: "I didn't feel the earthquake here, however Tokushima Perfecture, which is about an hour's train ride away and on the coast, has a major tsunami warning.
"I don't believe my central area will have any high risks however there are tsunami warnings for the Seto inland sea which surrounds my side of the island."
Pharmacy assistant Miss Pedley, 21, is hoping she will be able to go ahead with a planned trip to Japan on Friday.
She said: "You don't know what will happen over the next few days, it's so unpredictable.
"I was really shocked when I saw it on the news.
"I will see what happens and if it's safe to fly out I plan to go."
Beverley High School has links with a school in the Chiba region, near Tokyo, where the quake triggered a blaze at an oil refinery.
Head teacher Sharon Japp, who has visited the area, emailed the school after the tremor struck.
She said: "I sent our thoughts to all staff, students and families of the school."
Beverley's civic leaders are hoping to welcome a 10-strong party from Takaoka, west Japan, next weekend.
The trip has been organised by Beverley couple Ivar Hafskjold and his Japanese wife Kyoko.
Mr Hafskjold said: "They are still able to come, they could feel the tremor but everyone is fine."
The University of Hull has 30 Japanese students.
A spokesman said: "The university has contacted all of the Japanese students following the earthquake and is offering support to them if it is required."
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