Three-day intensive search for missing people begins in tsunami hit Japan
April 1st, 2011 - 11:51 am ICT by ANITokyo, Apr 1 (ANI): Self-Defense Forces personnel and the U.S. military have reportedly begun a three-day intensive search for people who are still missing in coastal cities and towns of Japan that were hit by the devastating earthquake-cum-tsunami on March 11.
The Kyodo news agency quoted the Japanese Defense Ministry and other sources as saying that around 18,000 SDF personnel and about 7,000 U.S. military along with members of the police, the Japan Coast Guard and fire departments would carry out the search operation with the help of dozens of ships and helicopters.
The areas where the operations would be carried out include shores that were largely submerged, and mouths of major rivers in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, which were hit by the March 11 tsunami.
The devastation has killed at least 11,578 people in 12 prefectures, and has left at least 16,451 people officially unaccounted for till Friday morning. Many of those who remain missing are believed to have been carried offshore after the tsunami struck the Pacific coast following the quake, the report said.
About 100 aircraft and 50 ships from the SDF are said to be engaged in the operation, with about 20 aircraft and 15 ships taking part from the U.S. military. (ANI)
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