Japan Quake: Huge Relief Mission Begins



More than 1,000 people are feared to have died in Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami, as a relief mission of unprecedented proportions begins.

Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated from an area near two nuclear plants in Fukushima province, some 150 miles north of Tokyo.
Attempts are being made to reduce the pressure in two reactors after Japan's prime minister Naoto Kan revealed some radiation was released.
Meanwhile, more than 215,000 people are being put up in emergency shelters in the east and north of the country.
The number of homeless is believed to be much higher, as police said they had not received a tally from Miyagi province, a northern area where hundreds of deaths are reported.
Friday's massive quake had a magnitude of 8.9. It caused a 33ft wave that hit the port of Sendai city, sending ships crashing into the shore and carrying cars and buildings through streets.
The official death toll is 413, with 784 people missing and 1,128 injured. Media reports in Japan put the death toll above 1,300.
Coastal and low-lying areas in the northeastern region were inundated by the tsunami, with roads and railways engulfed and vehicles and trains swept away.
In North and South America, thousands of people fled coastal areas amid fears of a tsunami on their side of the Pacific Ocean, but no major waves have materialised.
Amid the destruction in Japan came a more joyful story, as naval and coastguard helicopters found a ship that had been swept out to sea and airlifted all 81 people aboard to safety.
Thousands of troops, 300 planes and 40 ships have been reportedly mobilised by the Japanese government.
US military vessels and aircraft carriers have already been sent to the disaster-stricken archipelago along with relief teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.
The quake was the country's biggest on record - around 8,000 times more powerful than the one that devastated Christchurch in New Zealand last month.
A number of aftershocks have been felt throughout the Pacific basin, with a 6.8-magnitude quake off the coast of Japan itself.
The small South Pacific islands of Tonga experienced a 6.1-magnitude tremor.
Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised against all non-essential travel to Tokyo and the north east of Japan, whilst it assesses the damage caused.
Experienced disaster response teams from the UK and across the world are also on standby after making offers of assistance to the Japanese government.

Media in the country reported widespread fires in the northeastern city of Kesennuma, which has a population of 74,000 and where one-third of the city was submerged.
Leaders of Japan's ruling and opposition parties have agreed on the need to compile an extra budget and bankers pledged to do their utmost to ensure financial market stability.
Insurance analysts believe the total insured loss could be around £10bn.

Source:  http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Video-Japan-Earthquake-Tsunami-Death-Toll-Expected-To-Exceed-More-Than-1000/Article/201103215950904?lpos=World_News_First_World_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15950904_Video%3A_Japan_Earthquake_Tsunami_Death_Toll_Expected_To_Exceed_More_Than_1%2C000