LOC20:25
17:25 GMT
Japan
(With Map)
TOKYO, March 11 (KUNA) -- At least 300 people have died and more than 500
people are still missing following a massive earthquake with a magnitude of 8.
8 on the Richter scale hit the northeastern and eastern regions of the country
and triggered dozens of fires and a massive tsunami, public broadcaster NHK
said.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan set up emergency headquarters at his office and
dispatched 8,000 troops, 300 aircraft and 40 vessels, as well as other
emergency rescue teams to quake-hit areas. Miyagi Prefecture, some 400 km
north of Tokyo, is the hardest-hit area from the 2:46 p.m. (0546 GMT) quake.
The government also asked the US to deploy military forces stationed in Japan
to help with relief work.
Kan urged the public to act calmly and keep themselves abreast of the
latest information relating to the country's most powerful earthquake on
record. "The government will make all-out efforts to secure people's safety
and minimize the damage caused by the earthquake," the premier said.
Kan also declared a state of atomic power emergency, as all of the 11
nuclear reactors in the quake-hit region were automatically shut down
following the quake. The premier instructed some 3,000 residents near a
reactor in Fukushima Prefecture to evacuate. The evacuation advisory was
issued for people living within a three-km radius of the plant, while those
living within a 10-km radius were requested to stay home.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a rare warning of huge tsunami for
waves along Japan's the Pacific coastal region after the quake. Tsunamis
continued to hit the areas at intervals of about one an hour since the massive
quake, sweeping away people, houses, cars and ships. According to the agency,
a 10-meter tsunami waves were observed in some areas. The agency said late
night the tsunami danger level in quake-hit areas remains high. Several
magtitude-7-class aftershocks continued off the Pacific coast. The agency also
said it expects strong aftershocks in northeastern Japan for more than one
month, calling for people to remain on high alert.
At least 97 fires have been reported. A major blackout involving 7 million
households occurred in a wide area, disrupting telephone and Internet
connections. Several airports remain closed in northeastern Japan, but Narita
Airport near Tokyo partially resumed operations. About 15,000 homebound
travelers were stranded in the metropolitan area.
Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi told Kuwait News Agency
(KUNA) that there were no reports of injuries among Kuwaiti citizens in Japan
so far from the powerful earthquake.
"The embassy is trying to reach Kuwaiti nationals registered in Japan
around the clock, but communications were constantly cut in Tokyo. However, we
have not received any reports of injuries among Kuwaiti citizens in Japan,
including students, and I hope they are all safe and in good health,"
Al-Otaibi aid. All Kuwaiti diplomats are safe. The ambassador also said
Kuwaiti citizens traveling in Japan are strongly encouraged to notify the
embassy their whereabouts and contact numbers.
The focus of the tremor was 24 km below the surface of the Pacific coast of
Miyagi Prefecture. The quake measured seven, the highest level of the Japanese
seismic intensity scale in some areas of Miyagi Prefecture. The agency defines
an intensity of seven as strong enough to make most furniture moves to a large
extent and some jumps up. (pickup previous)
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KUNA 112025 Mar 11NNNN