Screen grab of a massive earthquake that triggered a tsunami causing major damage, on March 11, 2011 in Japan. [Photo: CFP]

The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck northeastern Japan on Friday is the biggest one that ever observed by the Japanese Meteorological Agency, reported Kyodo news agency.

The strength of the powerful quake that struck Japan at 2:46 p. m. local time surpasses the 7.9 registered in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake which hit the Kanto region centering on Tokyo, and 7.3 in the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake which devastated Kobe and its vicinity, the governmental agency said.

The Kobe quake on Jan. 17, 1995, killed 6,434 people and injured some 44,000, while destroying about 105,000 houses and damaging about 535,000 others while the Great Kanto Earthquake hit Tokyo and six surrounding prefectures in the Kanto region on Sept. 1, 1923, killing 91,000 people and leaving 13,000 others unaccounted for, Kyodo said.

At least 32 people were killed and numerous others injured in Friday's quake as counted so far.