Following last week's 8.9 magnitude earthquake off Northeastern Japan, continuing aftershocks and a massive tsunami, colleges and universities are keeping a close eye on that part of the world. Below are some updates from New England institutions.

• Boston University's Daily Free Press reports BU students in Tokyo O.K.
• 19 Yale Students Safe in Tokyo, reports The New Haven Register
• WTNH says two Conn. College students in Japan O.K.
• 31 UNH Students Safe in Japan, reports UnionLeader.com
• The Morning Sentinel of Maine reports 1 U. of Maine Farmington student O.K., 3 Colby students "unreachable"
• Boston Globe reports MIT grad. student studying disaster planning returns home from Japan safe but shocked
• Darmouth College reports 60 students and staff are safe in Japan

About 18,000 New England residents, including 10,000 from Greater Boston, live in Japan, according to the Boston Globe. Last week, local Japanese student associations gathered at MIT to discuss the situation. Among other relief efforts, a group of doctors from Massachusetts General Hospital arranged travel plans to Sendai.