Japan crisis 'worst since WW2'

13 March 2011 Japan is experiencing its greatest hardships since World War II as it tackles the aftermath of an earthquake, tsunami and a growing nuclear crisis, Prime Minister Naoto Kan says. In a televised statement, Mr Kan warned of sweeping power cuts to come. He said the situation at the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant remained grave, a day after an explosion at a reactor. Meanwhile, police have warned that the death toll in tsunami-hit Miyagi prefecture alone could exceed 10,000. Millions of survivors remain without electricity and authorities are stepping up relief efforts as the scale of the tragedy becomes clearer. About 310,000 people have been evacuated to emergency shelters, many of them without power, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported. Officials earlier announced that the number of troops helping with rescue work in the affected north-east region would be doubled to 100,000. "The current situation of the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear plants is in a way the most severe crisis in the past 65 years since World War II," Mr Kan said. "Whether we Japanese can overcome this crisis depends on each of us. "I strongly believe that we can get over this great earthquake and tsunami by joining together." Mr Kan said the shutting down of the Fukushima plant and other power stations meant that electricity supplies were limited. He said that from Monday there would be a programme of rolling power cuts that would also affect water and gas supplies and some medical facilities. Speaking after Mr Kan, government spokesman Yukio Edano said that although seawater was being injected into reactor 3 at the Fukushima plant to cool it, gauges were not showing the water levels rising. "We do not know what to make of this," he said. On Saturday, a huge explosion blew apart the building housing reactor 1, where technicians had been venting steam to cool the reactor. Cooling systems to both reactors failed after the 8.9 magnitude quake struck off the north-east coast. About 170,000 people have been evacuated from a 20km (12.4 miles) area around the plant. Meanwhile, scores of ships and aircraft are struggling to reach areas worst-hit by the tsunami. International rescue teams are also flying into Japan following an appeal by the government. Stricken Miyagi prefecture includes the port of Minamisanriku which was mostly swept away by the tsunami. The BBC's Rachel Harvey, outside Minamisanriku, says roads to the town are blocked and emergency workers are finding bodies amid piles of debris. Source: BBC News