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Thứ Bảy, 12 tháng 3, 2011

U.S. mobilizes to get assistance to quake-ravaged Japan
By the CNN Wire Staff

Washington (CNN) -- Humanitarian assistance from the United States began its journey to Japan Friday, as President Barack Obama extended a helping hand to the nation after it was hit by a devastating 8.9-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami.
There are eight warships either near Japan or headed for it. All are attached to the U.S. 7th Fleet, which is headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan.
Navy personnel began loading tons of disaster relief supplies aboard the U.S. 7th Fleet command flagship, the USS Blue Ridge, currently in Singapore The vessel and its crew were scheduled to depart for Japan Saturday morning, according to a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet public affairs.
The USS Essex was scheduled to leave Malaysia Friday evening carrying about 2,000 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary movement.
The USS Harpers Ferry and the USS Germantown are en route to Japan from the Philippine Sea.
The USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear-powered carrier, has been pulled from a long-planned exercise off the Korean Peninsula and is now headed for the earthquake area, accompanied by USS Chancellorsville and the USS Preble.
And the USS Tortuga has left its base at Sasebo, a port city in far southern Japan. The ship already has several landing craft on board, but it's heading to South Korea to take delivery of MH-53 cargo helicopters, which it will then carry to Japan.

In addition to the 7th Fleet ships that have already received orders to head to the island nation, all ships in the fleet that can carry helicopters or aircraft have been ordered to be ready to deploy within 24 hours, if necessary. Fleet vessels not designed to carry aircraft must be able to deploy within 48 hours.
The fleet is also undertaking a full accounting of all personnel in Japan, as well as the condition of their family members. However, no reports of injuries among 7th Fleet personnel have been received and no major damage has been reported among fleet assets, according to the public affairs statement.
The public affairs statement pointed out that the 7th Fleet is not conducting full-scale disaster response operations, which would only come after a formal request from the Japanese government.
It's not just the military that is taking steps to get help to victims of Friday's earthquake.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and its partner agencies are on standby in case their assistance is needed, the agency said in a news release.
In addition, six Los Angeles County canine disaster search teams have been activated. The dogs were trained by the Search Dog Foundation and are now getting health clearance from their veterinarians to ensure they are ready to deploy.
They will be part of a Los Angeles task force mobilized along with one from Virginia by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Each team will come with more than 70 personnel and approximately 75 tons of search and rescue equipment, in addition to the search and rescue dogs.
"On behalf of the American people, I wish to convey our sympathy, thoughts and prayers to the people of Japan who have been affected by this devastating earthquake and tsunami," said Rajiv Shah, the administrator for USAID, in a written statement. "We are working with the government of Japan to provide any assistance needed in the rescue effort as quickly as possible."
The agency also is dispatching a disaster assistance response team.
California Gov. Jerry Brown said in a news release that he has "directed California's Emergency Management Agency to make state resources available to the Japanese government."
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig even promised assistance from Major League Baseball. Citing "our shared love of baseball for more than a century," Selig said in a statement that Japan is "a particularly special place to us" and that MLB will provide aid in the coming days and weeks.
The American Red Cross is communicating with the Japanese Red Cross Society and its global partners, according to a statement from the agency. So far, the American Red Cross has not received any requests for blood from its Japanese counterparts, or from the U.S. or Japanese governments.
The organization is encouraging people with loved ones in Japan to use the Red Cross "Safe and Well" website, an online tool which helps families connect during natural disasters and emergencies.
Earlier in the day, Obama described his country's assistance priorities at a news conference. "I offer our Japanese friends whatever assistance is needed," he said. "Today's events remind us how fragile life can be."
He said the main U.S. assistance to Japan would probably be "lift capacity" in the form of heavy equipment to help clean up damaged infrastructure. The U.S. government is taking inventory of how many military personnel are in Japan to provide help, he said, adding that American citizens in Japan will also receive assistance.
Obama called the earthquake and tsunami "a potentially catastrophic disaster," saying the images of destruction were "simply heartbreaking."
At a session of the President's Export Council on Friday morning at the Old Executive Office Building, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged "immediate disaster relief assistance" and said, "We are working closely with the government of Japan to provide additional help," according to a State Department statement.
The State Department on Friday said there were no immediate reports of casualties among the tens of thousands of U.S. citizens -- tourists, military personnel and others -- in Japan.
The State Department issued an alert against nonessential travel to Japan because of the earthquake and tsunami. The alert said that Tokyo airports were closed and others also may be closed or restricted, and that public transportation in Tokyo and other areas has been interrupted.
The alert also said strong aftershocks are likely "for weeks" and included instructions for what to do if caught in an earthquake or aftershock. It urged U.S. citizens in Japan to contact family and friends to let them know of their well-being.
American Airlines told CNN that it would resume flights into Japan on Saturday. Both American and Delta Airlines canceled flights into Tokyo Friday. It was unclear if flights to other Japanese airports also were affected. In addition, Delta, United and Continental airlines announced they were waiving change fees for people whose travel plans involving Japan were affected by the disaster.
The Yokota Air Base, a U.S. Air Force facility in Japan, accommodated 11 commercial planes carrying more than 500 passengers, after the flights were diverted to the base when the earthquake closed Tokyo's Narita International Airport, according to a news release from the Air Force's 374th Airlift Wing. Volunteers from various organizations brought food, water and cots for the stranded passengers and helped them register with the Red Cross.
At the State Department, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice Jacobs said a 24-hour consular task force has been set up to help Americans affected by the earthquake.
Americans in Japan who need help, or people seeking information about a loved one in Japan, can send an e-mail to japanemergencyusc@state.gov, Jacobs said. Americans outside Japan but in tsunami-affected areas who need help, or people seeking information about an American in affected areas outside Japan, can e-mail pacifictsunamiusc@state.gov, she said.
A telephone information line also has been set up at 1-888-407-4747, said Jacobs, who encouraged people to use the e-mail options if possible. When seeking information about Americans in Japan or other affected areas, Jacobs said, people should provide the full name, birth date and location of the person, as well as any pre-existing medical conditions, and if they are elderly or a child.

CNN's Kim Hutcherson, Michael Martinez, Ed Henry, Barbara Starr, Elise Labott, Larry Shaughnessy, Dave Alsup and Bonney Kapp contributed to this report.

Japanese prime minister: Main focus is saving lives
From Kyung Lah, CNN

Shirakawa, Japan (CNN) -- Rescuers plucked dazed survivors from collapsed homes, muddy waters and raging fires Saturday, a day after a powerful earthquake tore through northeastern Japan and unleashed waves that swallowed entire neighborhoods along the coast.
More than 900 were killed and about 700 were missing, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported. The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.
"We'd first like to focus on saving lives and secondly the comfort of the evacuees," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said. "There will be many resources that will be needed for this evacuation process."
The 8.9-magnitude quake was centered about 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Sendai, a farming region already battling youth population losses to big cities, leaving aging residents struggling to keep up with the global economy.
In the nearby city of Shirakawa, rescuers dug through rubble with shovels to try and reach 13 neighbors trapped when the earth opened up and swallowed their homes.

Relatives and friends stood in the cold, quietly watching, praying and waiting. Others wept.
In other affected areas, military choppers plucked people from rooftops. In some cases, rescuers trudged along muddy water, carrying survivors on their backs. Weary, mud-spattered residents wandered through streets filled with crumpled cars and other debris.
The original quake struck Friday and left towns and villages along the northeastern coast devastated. Scores of aftershocks followed Saturday.
"The earth shook with such ferocity," said Andy Clark, who experienced the main earthquake at the airport outside Tokyo, which is about 370 kilometers (230 Miles) southwest of the quake's epicenter. "I thought things were coming to an end. ... It was simply terrifying."
The quake also disrupted rail service and affected air travel, but limited rail service was back Saturday. Flight cancellations left at least 23,000 people stranded in two Tokyo airports, Kyodo News Agency said. Flights into and out of both airports resumed Saturday.
Six million households, more than 10% of the total in Japan, were without electricity, said Ichiro Fujisaki, the nation's ambassador to the United States.
Central Tokyo resident Michelle Roberts said people are accustomed to earthquakes in the area, but this was different.
"I wasn't scared when it started ... but it just kept going and going," Roberts said. "I won't lie, it was quite scary. But we are all OK. We live on the third floor, so most everything shook and shifted."
Roads in affected areas were jammed as residents -- thousands of whom had spent the night in shelters -- tried to get to their homes in outlying areas. Others flocked to nearby shops to buy supplies.
The Japanese government made a formal request for U.S. aid, including military support, and full planning for deployment is in effect with the U.S. military in Japan taking the lead, according to Sgt. Maj. Stephen Valley with U.S. Forces Japan.
The U.S. Agency for International Development said Saturday it had sent a rescue team to the nation to help with rescue efforts.

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Online search engine, Google, also said it has launched an online database to help people in Japan find their friends and relatives. The service collects information about the location and condition of those reported missing.
Meanwhile, experts worked to ensure nuclear power plants were safe.
An explosion sent white smoke rising above a nuclear plant where a massive earthquake and tsunami crippled cooling systems in northeastern Japan, the country's nuclear and industrial safety agency said.
Four workers were injured after the blast at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, the agency said.
The explosion was not caused by the nuclear reactor but by "water vapor that was part of the cooling process," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Saturday.
No harmful gases were emitted by the explosion, he said.
Authorities have evacuated people living 20 kilometers from the reactor, according to the prime minister.
The United States said that while Japan has officially sought its help in dealing with the earthquake's aftermath, it is not involved with efforts at Fukushima and Japan has not made requests for help at the nuclear plant.
The impact of the quake was felt far and wide.
On the U.S. mainland, wave heights from Alaska to California ranged from less than a foot to more than 8 feet. The highest measurement, 8.1 feet, was at Crescent City, California.
In McKinleyville, California, three men were swept away by waves while taking pictures of the Pacific Ocean, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Two returned to shore, but one died.
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a "state of disaster proclamation" after the tsunami caused millions of dollars in damage. The proclamation will allow the state to get federal funds to rebuild, the governor said in a statement.
The quake was the latest in a series around Japan this week.
On Wednesday, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Honshu, the country's meteorological agency said. Early Thursday, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 struck off the same coast.
Friday's quake is the strongest earthquake in recorded history to hit Japan, according to U.S. Geologic Survey records that date to 1900.
The world's largest recorded quake took place in Chile on May 22, 1960, with a magnitude of 9.5, the USGS said.

CNN's Paula Hancocks, Brian Walker, Kevin Voigt and Sean Morris contributed to this report.

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Nha Trang makes Spratly Islands focus of fifth annual Sea Festival

The fifth annual Sea Festival to be celebrated in Nha Trang city on June 11-15 will be centred on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago this year.
Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province, where Nha Trang is, said the festival will feature a photo exhibition of the islands, a music show, a film screening, and a conference on Truong Sa Island District. Artists from France, South Korea, China, Cuba, and Russia will perform at the event which is aimed at promoting the province's traditional cultural values and tourism.
The festival will also include a celebration of bird's nests, a beauty pageant, and a Vietnamese goods fair on Nha Trang, Doc Let, and Bai Dai beaches.

Hoi An makes top 10 tourist city destinations in UK travel magazine

Hoi An has made it to the list of the world's 10 best cities for tourism by the UK's Wanderlust travel magazine. The city received 96 per cent of votes from readers to rank second.
Luang Prabang, the world heritage site in Laos, retained its top position in the magazine's annual list of best tourist destinations with 96.89 per cent votes.
The other places on the list are Kyoto (Japan), Stockholm (Sweden), Perth (Australia), Tokyo (Japan), San Francisco (USA), Vienna (Austria), Cusco (Peru) and Aleppo (Syria).
Last year Hoi An was named one of Asia's top 10 destinations by the Hong Kong-based online tourism magazine Smart Travel Asia. It was in fifth place while Ha Noi was seventh.

Epikurean all set to open luxury resort in Nha Trang

The Singapore-based hotel management company Epikurian Villas Hotels&Hideouts will open a new luxury hotel in Nha Trang on April 2.
An Lam – Ninh Van Bay Villas Resort, built on 20ha in Ninh Van Bay, will open 18 of its proposed 35 villas in the first phase. Rooms start at US$400 per night but are offered at $350 until August.
Last December Epikurean announced it is taking over the Bai Tram Hideout Resort in the central province of Phu Yen, which spreads over some 90 ha and has seven luxury private-pool villas.

Ha Long Life Heritage resort launches luxury boat tours

Life Heritage Resort Ha Long Bay has launched four private luxury boats in Ha Long Bay that are decorated with the history and culture of the bay. They are built and operated to Certified Marine Standards and equipped with modern maritime safety features and equipment.
Each boat has a 32sq.m cabin with an upper deck, a dining terrace, and sundeck. All of them have kayaks, swimming ladders, diving and angling equipment. Customers can design their own itinerary of the bay and its limestone caves, islets, and secluded beaches.
Six hour cruises cost US$220 for two, including a set lunch, and for additional persons up to a maximum of four, $65 each.

HCM City misses out on large cruise ships as port proves unsuitable

Tour operators serving cruise ships have reported a sharp increase in the arrival of cruise tourists but say the lack of ports to accommodate such vessels is hindering the development of this segment.
Phan Xuan Anh, chairman of Viet Excursions, said in the first quarter his company served many cruise ships including the QE II, Queen Mary II, Arcadia, and Artemis, with each carrying 1,500 to 2,000 passengers.
But large vessels like the Queen Mary II cannot dock at Sai Gon Port because of the low clearance of Phu My Bridge and have to dock in Ba Ria-Vung Tau instead, he said.
Doan Thi Thanh Tra, marketing manager of Saigontrourist Travel Service Co, said the company had expected to serve nearly 20,000 cruise tourists in the first quarter, but some large ships decided to go to Da Nang instead because they cannot drop anchor in HCM City. — VNS