Big earthquake in Japan

[termogard]

(Reuters)- Countries and aid groups are offering to help Japan's rescue efforts after a powerful earthquake rocked the country, triggering a 10-meter tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings.

Following are a list of aid offers.

* President Barack Obama said the United States stood "ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial." The Defense Department said it was preparing American forces in the Pacific to provide earthquake and tsunami relief.

Pentagon spokeswoman Navy Commander Leslie Hullryde said the U.S. military effort included at least six U.S. Navy ships but said defense officials have not yet received a request for assistance from the Japanese government.

* The United Nations said 30 international search and rescue teams were on alert to go to Japan to provide assistance.

* South Korea is initially sending 40 emergency rescue officials who are on standby to fly in by government plane when they get clearance, its foreign ministry said.

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia was ready to provide emergency aid. "Russia is ready to offer Japan all possible aid to cope with the aftermath of this tragedy," Medvedev said in a statement on the Kremlin's official website.

* Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Beijing was ready to provide Japan with necessary assistance to deal with the aftermath of the devastating natural disaster, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

* Thailand will offer 5 million baht ($165,000) aid to Japan and will consider giving more when the extent of the damage is known, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said.

* British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Britain was in contact with the Japanese government and he has asked the country's ambassador in Tokyo to offer all assistance. ($1=30.37 Baht)

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux, compiled by Asia Desk)

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[PsycKho]

I'd go far away until everything is solved if I'm any near of this station. :/

[Asher]

Was there any tsunami damage in Kamakura?

[nobora]

I hope everything just turns out ok.

[vegna]

It makes my heart broken to see all of these events happing, i just donated some money to the red cross and i suggest for some people to do the same.

[Yingzi]

I really really appreciate for all of you praying for my country.

[evanny]

if you know any of these retarded hill-billy assholes, please take your shotgun and blast their fucking heads of. thank you.

[WingsToDiscovery]

I take quite a liberal stance when it comes to gun control, but that Second Amendment right right-wingers so dearly cling on to may just be their downfall.

[Rinai]

Oh. Wow. I mean, Pearl Harbor was a tragedy and all but seriously no country deserves a disaster like that. I think these people that have been putting all this hate stuff are unable to empathize with a person because of their origins or regions. To mainly, those people are either your hardcore American conservatives or down right American racists. It's a sad thing but I'm sure the number of people who give good wishes for the people of Japan's good health outnumber them very much.

*plooka plooka*

[GoNative]

God I fricken hate religious people. One half will claim this is was an act of god and the half will pray to one of these mythical beings to help in the aftermath. They're all nuts as far as I'm concerned.
Wanna help? Send money not your useless prayers!!