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Death toll reaches 576 as aftershocks continue
Source: Xinhua |
March 12, 2011, Saturday
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The death toll reached 576 from yesterday's 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Japan and over 725 were missing today following some areas suffered devastating damage in the 8. 8 magnitude earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in Japan, According to NHK news reports.
At least 14 aftershocks, from 5-6.8 magnitude, hit off Japan's east coast on today following the massive earthquake.
The devastating damaged caused by the quake that struck at 2:46pm (0546 GMT) yesterday was amplified by tsunami waves devouring Pacific coastal regions in northeastern Japan.
A total of 725 people have still been unaccounted for in six prefectures following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that could be felt in most regions of the nation.
As all the available Self Defense Force resources were mobilized to provide emergency relief today, the number of victims of the catastrophe is expected to rise to well over 1,000 people, the NPA and Defense Ministry said today.
Up to 300 bodies were recovered in Sendai, the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tohoku Region, official said and the Pacific-facing Wakabayashi area of the city was totally leveled by tsunami waves destroying 1,200 homes.
The coastal city of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture was also devastated by a tsunami wave. Traveling in-bound at speeds upwards of 500 kilometers per hour, the city was completely engulfed, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
The National Police Agency said around 1,800 houses in Fukushima Prefecture were destroyed.
"More than 90 percent of the houses in three coastal communities have been washed away by tsunami. Looking from the fourth floor of the town hall, I see no houses standing," a city official from Futaba, Fukushima Prefecture, was quoted as saying.
Japan's search and rescue efforts are being conducted with the help of the US military, with around 20,000 SDF personnel, nearly 200 aircraft and 25 boats being dispatched to the hardest- hit northeastern regions.
Rescue helicopters are attending to 80 people stranded on ship in the waters off Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture and have airlifted people to safety from an elementary school in the town of Watari, in Miyagi, local reports said.
Rescue teams from South Korea and other countries are due to arrive in Japan from today to provide further man power.
The Foreign Ministry said today that 50 nations and regions have offered to provide support following Friday's megaquake.
Almost 6 million households were left without power in quake- hit regions today and four trains operating in the coastal regions of Miyagi and Iwate prefectures have yet to be found following the colossal tsunami.
The local railway company said another train was derailed and nine people had to be airlifted to safety today.
The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency is monitoring two faltering power plants in Fukushima Prefecture and local residents have been evacuated from the vicinity of the facilities.
At Fukushima's No. 1 plant, the amount of radiation reached 1, 000 times the regular level in the operating room, the agency said and the No. 2 plant is set to release pressure in containers housing nuclear reactors that could result in the leak of radioactive substances.
The failsafe system at the No. 2 plant stopped functioning as the temperature of coolant water exceeded 100 degrees Celsius, the agency said.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan today inspected a quake-hit nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, where damage from a radioactive leak is feared, and toured other affected areas.
"I realized the huge extent of the tsunami damage," Kan told reporters after returning to Tokyo.
The operator of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant opened the valves of the containers housing the reactors to reduce pressure, a move that led to the release of a small amount of radioactive steam.
According to the Tokyo police more than 116,000 people were unable to return to their homes yesterday evening due to train services being halted and heavy traffic.
JR East will continue the suspension of bullet train services on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line through today, the company said.
People in the capital and nine other prefectures were stuck in 163 elevators following yesterday's quake, with 88 of them being rescued thus far, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry said today.
Japanese Foreign Ministry said Saturday that rescue teams from foreign countries are set to begin arriving in Japan from today after 50 countries and regions offered support following yesterday's powerful earthquake.
At least 14 aftershocks, from 5-6.8 magnitude, hit off Japan's east coast on today following the massive earthquake.
The devastating damaged caused by the quake that struck at 2:46pm (0546 GMT) yesterday was amplified by tsunami waves devouring Pacific coastal regions in northeastern Japan.
A total of 725 people have still been unaccounted for in six prefectures following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that could be felt in most regions of the nation.
As all the available Self Defense Force resources were mobilized to provide emergency relief today, the number of victims of the catastrophe is expected to rise to well over 1,000 people, the NPA and Defense Ministry said today.
Up to 300 bodies were recovered in Sendai, the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tohoku Region, official said and the Pacific-facing Wakabayashi area of the city was totally leveled by tsunami waves destroying 1,200 homes.
The coastal city of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture was also devastated by a tsunami wave. Traveling in-bound at speeds upwards of 500 kilometers per hour, the city was completely engulfed, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
The National Police Agency said around 1,800 houses in Fukushima Prefecture were destroyed.
"More than 90 percent of the houses in three coastal communities have been washed away by tsunami. Looking from the fourth floor of the town hall, I see no houses standing," a city official from Futaba, Fukushima Prefecture, was quoted as saying.
Japan's search and rescue efforts are being conducted with the help of the US military, with around 20,000 SDF personnel, nearly 200 aircraft and 25 boats being dispatched to the hardest- hit northeastern regions.
Rescue helicopters are attending to 80 people stranded on ship in the waters off Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture and have airlifted people to safety from an elementary school in the town of Watari, in Miyagi, local reports said.
Rescue teams from South Korea and other countries are due to arrive in Japan from today to provide further man power.
The Foreign Ministry said today that 50 nations and regions have offered to provide support following Friday's megaquake.
Almost 6 million households were left without power in quake- hit regions today and four trains operating in the coastal regions of Miyagi and Iwate prefectures have yet to be found following the colossal tsunami.
The local railway company said another train was derailed and nine people had to be airlifted to safety today.
The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency is monitoring two faltering power plants in Fukushima Prefecture and local residents have been evacuated from the vicinity of the facilities.
At Fukushima's No. 1 plant, the amount of radiation reached 1, 000 times the regular level in the operating room, the agency said and the No. 2 plant is set to release pressure in containers housing nuclear reactors that could result in the leak of radioactive substances.
The failsafe system at the No. 2 plant stopped functioning as the temperature of coolant water exceeded 100 degrees Celsius, the agency said.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan today inspected a quake-hit nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, where damage from a radioactive leak is feared, and toured other affected areas.
"I realized the huge extent of the tsunami damage," Kan told reporters after returning to Tokyo.
The operator of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant opened the valves of the containers housing the reactors to reduce pressure, a move that led to the release of a small amount of radioactive steam.
According to the Tokyo police more than 116,000 people were unable to return to their homes yesterday evening due to train services being halted and heavy traffic.
JR East will continue the suspension of bullet train services on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line through today, the company said.
People in the capital and nine other prefectures were stuck in 163 elevators following yesterday's quake, with 88 of them being rescued thus far, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry said today.
Japanese Foreign Ministry said Saturday that rescue teams from foreign countries are set to begin arriving in Japan from today after 50 countries and regions offered support following yesterday's powerful earthquake.
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