WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said he was “heartbroken” by images of devastation in Japan after Friday’s massive earthquake and tsunami, and he pledged U.S. assistance to help the country recover.
“Our hearts go out to our friends in Japan and across the region, and we’re going to stand with them as they recover and rebuild from this tragedy,” Obama said during a White House news conference.
Obama said he was confident that Japan would rebound from the potentially “catastrophic” disaster and offered his condolences to the families of those killed.
“When you see what’s happening in Japan, you are reminded that for all our differences in culture or language or religion, that ultimately humanity is one,” Obama said.
One U.S. aircraft carrier already is in Japan, and a second is on its way to assist with recovery efforts. A U.S. ship also was heading to the Mariana Islands.
Obama’s chief of staff, Bill Daley, notified the president about the earthquake in Japan at 4 a.m. Washington time. Obama activated the Federal Emergency Management Agency and huddled with senior advisers at the White House to discuss plans to assist Japan, as well as the U.S. states and territories that could be affected.
Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan said U.S. and Japanese officials are in close contact to determine the type of assistance needed. He said aid could include food, water, shelter and medical supplies.
The State Department said no Americans were killed or injured in Japan. There also were no reports of damage to U.S. installations or ships in the area. The department issued a travel alert, strongly urging U.S. citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Japan.”Strong aftershocks are likely for weeks,” the department said.
The tsunami also hit Hawaii before dawn Friday, with most damage coming on the Big Island. Water covered beachfront roads and rushed into hotels. One house was picked up and carried out to sea. Low-lying areas in Maui were flooded by 7-foot waves.
On the U.S. mainland, marinas and harbors in California and Oregon bore the brunt of the damage, estimated by authorities to be in the millions of dollars. Boats crashed into one another in marinas, and some vessels were washed out to sea. Docks also suffered heavy damage.
Rescue crews were searching for a man who was swept away in northern California while taking pictures. Two people with him tried in vain to rescue him, although they were able to return to shore.
