The world is reacting to the catastrophic earthquake that struck Japan Friday through social media as platforms like Facebook and Twitter come alive with reactions, prayers and timely updates of the disaster.

Soon after the news of the 8.9-magnitude quake surfaced, the microblogging site Twitter was flooded with reactions to the catastrophe. Meanwhile, users posted images of the damage caused by the earthquake even before the mainstream media could give the world a glimpse of the aftereffects.

#PrayforJapan, #Tsunami, Tokya Disneyland, Sendai, Fukushima and related terms reigned the Trending Topics list as the tweeps expressed their shock and condolences.

On the social networking site, Facebook, numerous pages, communities and open groups cropped up.

Let's just pray for Japan through this time of crisis. Care & Love, reads the description of an Open Group, called 'Pray for Japan (8.9 Earthquake aftermath)'. A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) page, Japan 2011 Earthquake Tsunami Victims - R.I.P, with an encouraging tag line 'We are with you!, is among the other pages seeing active participation.

Netizens were also actively participating on various campaigns related to the Japan earthquake, like the one that urges people to 'Share 'Japan Flag' on your wall'.

Fans of the communities have also begun expressing their solidarity with online posters. One among the messages doing the rounds simply reads, 'Help Sendai'.

Footage of the havoc caused by the powerful earthquake that triggered tsunami and landslides has also emerged on the popular video sharing website Youtube. Videos from media outlets is also accompanied by some raw live footage of the devastating quake.

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