Japan has declared states of emergency at two nuclear plants damaged by Friday’s massive earthquake along the country’s northeastern coast.

Officials said the 8.9 magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami knocked power out and caused cooling systems to fail at two plants in Fukushima. They warned of radiation leaks as steam was vented from reactors in an effort to relieve growing pressure.

Japanese officials said Saturday the venting would not pose a major safety risk to the public, although authorities ordered people living around the plants to evacuate.

Strong aftershocks rocked Japan as Japanese troops and helicopters worked Saturday to rescue people stranded by the tsunami. More than 1,000 people are feared dead.

Entire villages were washed away Friday by waves as high as 10 meters that carried vehicles, buildings and debris several kilometers inland.

Social Media: Disaster in Japan The Crisis Commons volunteer  community has mobilized, and part of the effort is being coordinated by Japanese students at U.S. universities. The Red Cross has opened a page on causes.com to raise money for the victims of Friday’s disaster in Japan. Many photos are being tweeted of empty market shelves: @happyten – People are preparing for the worst to come. @martyn_williams – Central Tokyo convenience stores cleared of ALL food @tokyoreporter – Frightening video of the tsunami hitting a Japanese airport

 

 

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Japan Declares Emergencies at Nuclear Reactors Following Quake