Massive surges of water caused devastation across Japan after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake off shore prompted a large tsunami earlier this afternoon. 

Local media has reported 26 deaths in at least four different prefectures, while other reports say the tsunami was up to 10m in size.

Speaking to au.fourfourtwo.com soon after the quake hit, the Socceroo said his apartment in the Chiba prefecture of Tokyo was trashed as a result of the violent tremors.

He was forced to run out of his apartment block with his wife and young daughter to seek shelter.

And because he was unable to access his vehicle due to computer failure at his car park, Milligan and his family made it to the club house on foot after the former Sydney FC player pushed his daughter in a pram through the streets.

A shaken Milligan spoke with au.fourfofurtwo.com just hours after the devastation hit.

“Our place is a mess," he said. "We had to leave our place, we’re pretty high up near the water. We’ve come to the club house but we really didn’t know what was happening.

“We ran down the stairs then it hit again when I came back up to get clothes and stuff. We’re here now and they can tell us more about what’s going on.

“They’ve just put out a tsunami warning. We should be alright. We had to walk here but when we got to the club house there’s an oil refinery and it’s not even a kilometre away and it was exploding.

“It shook the whole area. We walked because our car park is a multilevel thing and it’s all shutdown. So we had to walk.”

The quake struck 382km north-east of Tokyo at 2.46pm local time (4.46pm AEDST), and was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks, including one of 7.4-magnitude about 30 mins later.

“At the moment we’re just waiting to see what happens. The tsunami warning, we might be sheltered from it but they’re not too sure but we can’t go anywhere because the cars aren’t moving. They’re just sitting in traffic.

“They seem to think we’ll be pretty safe in the clubhouse.”

The building is a long, two-storey structure, said Milligan. “If there’s another quake then that’s good we’ve got the two pitches next door.”

The US Geological Survey rated the strength of the first quake as a magnitude 8.9, making it the biggest earthquake to strike the country and the seventh biggest of all time.

“I’ve just been able to get through to my family in Australia,” added Milligan. “Because obviously all the phone lines are down.”

Milligan, who plays for JEF United Chiba, wasn’t the only Socceroo to be caught up in the unfolding chaos. Jade North was in a Tokyo hospital taking a medical for a J-League club when the quake hit.

It's not known how other Socceroos are coping in Japan. Alex Brosque plays for Shimizu S-Pulse alongside Eddie Bosnar and Matt Spiranovic is in northern Tokyo with Urawa Red Diamonds.

The situation also puts in doubt New Zealand's clash with the Blue Samurai later this month as well as Sydney FC’s ACL clash with Kashima Antlers next Wednesday. Reports say Narita airport is still closed with the Sky Blues set to fly out on Sunday from Sydney.

Sydney FC media manager Ben Hawes told au.fourfourtwo.com that the club had spoken with the AFC tonight. “We’ll have more information tomorrow on whether the game will go ahead or not," he said.