By IANS,
New Delhi : Both houses of parliament Monday paid tributes to the victims of the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan Friday.
“We express heartfelt sympathy and deepest condolences to the friendly people of Japan who lost their near and dear ones in the tragedy. It is a tragedy of incalculable magnitude,” Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Hamid Ansari said in the upper house.
In Lok Sabha, Speaker Meira Kumar expressed grief at the loss of lives and wished speedy recovery to the injured.
“The Lok Sabha expresses its heartfelt condolences for the loss of lives and damage to the property in Japan,” Meira Kumar said in the house as soon as the MPs assembled at 11 a.m.
Members in both the houses stood in silence to pay homage to the victims.
An earthquake measuring 9 on the Richter scale hit Japan Friday afternoon triggering huge tsunami waves that lashed the country’s northeastern coast. Thousands are believed to have perished in the tragedy with many more still missing.