VOA News March 11, 2011
17:35 UTC: More than 900 flights have been canceled and more than 300 delayed in Tokyo’s two main airports, stranding some 25,000 people, Japan’s NHK television said. Some 13,000 people are stuck at Haneda airport and another 13,000 at Narita airport.
The US State Department has alerted US citizens to avoid travel to Japan, and warns that trains and subways are closed in the Tokyo area. Many roads have been damaged both in Tokyo and northern Japan. The American Red Cross has warned that earthquake aftershocks could cause other structures to collapse.
17:30 UTC: Japanese broadcasters NHK and Fuji TV are both providing live streaming video on UStream. Both are in Japanese, but are showing video and images of what’s going on right now in Japan.
Watch on UStream:
NHK
Fuji TV
Tvnewsradio.com has a list of many more sources for live streaming and real-time updates.
17:16 UTC: Japan has asked for U.S. assistance in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that swept the country. National television showed now homeless residents huddled in shelters, accepting blankets.
The U.S. Department of Defense says its forces are swinging into action to help, and that a US naval ship in the region is preparing to load landing craft to leave for the disaster areas. Another U.S. ship based in Singapore is taking on humanitarian aid and disaster relief supplies, and preparing to depart for Japan tomorrow morning.
17:00 UTC: The Tokyo Broadcasting Service posted this video of fires burning in Kesennuma, in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. They have many more videos of the earthquake and tsunami aftermath on their YouTube channel.
via: The Guardian.
16:58 UTC: Japan’s government has called for everyone living near the coast to evacuate to higher ground amid warnings of additional tsunamis. Broadcasting in Japanese, English and Portuguese, Japan’s NHK television listed the coastal areas at risk and warned of waves up to two meters high could wash over some of the areas mentioned.
16:47 UTC: U.S. President Barack Obama says the United States stands ready to help the people of Japan after an earthquake and tsunami devastated the country’s east coast. In a statement Friday, Mr. Obama offered his condolences to those who lost loved ones, and said the alliance between the United States and Japan is “unshakeable.”
16:35 UTC: Video images from Japan.
16:30 UTC: Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan appeared on national television to advise the public to stay tuned to radio and television for any warnings, as a senior disaster response official warned of a possibility that even larger waves could strike Japan in the next day or two. Mr. Kan urged people to react calmly to the catastrophe.
As of 16:11 UTC: At least 200 people have been killed in a massive earthquake in Japan that also triggered a devastating tsunami. The quake – the most powerful to hit Japan in at least 100 years – caused massive damage and many people are missing and feared dead.
The powerful quake struck Friday about 125 kilometers off Japan’s eastern coast, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Large-scale damage could be seen in various locations along the coast. In Chiba prefecture, a massive oil refinery fire has broken out.
Video clip: Japan earthquake
Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the government has created an office to deal with the disaster and maintain safety.
More than four million homes remain without power. Nuclear power stations, of which there are three in the region, either continued operating or were automatically shut down. Tokyo Electric Power said no radiation leaks were immediately detected.
Japan Rail has suspended all train services in the Tokyo region for the remainder of Friday.
Slideshow
1100 UTC: Kate Woodsome talks to USGS Geophysicist Randy Baldwin:
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