MH370: Has China Cracked 'Mission Impossible'?

Experts say Chinese search crews will have overcome an "impossible situation" if they recover the black box from the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

Chinese state media claims a signal has been discovered by the country's Haixun 01 vessel 1,000 miles northwest of Perth.

The signal is said to have a frequency of 37.5kHz per second - the same as that emitted by black-box devices.

Oceanographer Dr Simon Boxall, from Southampton University, told Sky News it would be a remarkable achievement.

"If it proves this is potentially from the pinger on the black box then we've gone from pretty much an impossible situation to locate this flight and the wreckage on the seabed to a situation where it's very feasible," he said.

"It would mean we've gone from an area of 85,000 square miles down to an area of 10 square miles.

"Because the signal is so weak on this locator, it can't be more than two or three miles away.

"Even if the seabed is fairly mountainous or there are issues on the sea floor, it's within the capability of 21st century technology to recover this black box if the signal proves to be from the aircraft.

"The search area would be doable but it could take months."

Dr Boxall says the next step is to confirm the signal is from MH370.

This would be done using a combination of side scan sonar and camera equipment attached to an ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle).

The location of objects spotted in the southern corridor

If they confirm the presence of a black box, the operation will enter its recovery phase.

This could be hampered by weather, with relatively calm seas required for a whole day to allow the ROV to reach the seabed.

"You shouldn't underestimate the size of this task - it's not easy," said Dr Boxall.

"But you go to something that will happen, rather than something that may never happen.

"Possibly when they do that some of the mysteries of what happened to MH370 might be answered."

Another question is which country will lead any verification and recovery, as the signal has been found in international waters.

But Dr Boxall warns there is a long way to go before this becomes an issue.

"Without showing scepticism, it's interesting that this has happened four weeks after the event and it's happened at the point when people are saying, incorrectly, that the black box is going to run out in two hours," he said.

"The black box has a design transition of about 30 days. It could go on for longer, it could have been damaged in the crash itself.

"The ocean is full of noise. Both equipment we use as scientists or natural noises.

"The argument is that there's nothing else out there that will transit at 37.5kHz but we also know the signal was very intermittent, which we would sort of expect - but how intermittent?

"Because this is all second-hand information, then until this data has been looked at by the Australians, I'm afraid to say my scepticism will remain."

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Missing Plane: Ship Signals Show 'Some Promise'

Searchers say two signals detected in the southern Indian Ocean show "some promise" they may be from missing flight MH370.

Retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, head of the international search, said Chinese patrol vessel Haixun 01 picked up two "acoustic events" some 1,000 miles (1,600km) northwest of Perth.

The first was a faint signal. The second was picked up around 2km away and lasted for 90 seconds, he said.

They had a "ping" of 37.5kHz frequency - the same emitted by black box flight recorders.

The location where the signal was detected

A Chinese air force plane also spotted a number of white floating objects in the area, said Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

Mr Houston stressed that investigators are still a "long way" from concluding the signals are from the Boeing 777 carrying 239 people.

But he said they are "an important and encouraging lead" and show "some promise and require a full investigation".

The Malaysia Airlines plane vanished on March 8

Australia is sending two ships - HMS Echo and defence vessel Ocean Shield - to investigate the patch of sea, which is some 4,500 metres deep.

Earlier, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters in Tokyo: "This is the most difficult search in human history.

"We are searching for an aircraft which is at the bottom of a very deep ocean and it is a very, very wide search area.

Hishammuddin Hussein at a news conference in Malaysia on Saturday

"We need to be very careful about coming to hard and fast conclusions too soon."

A dozen planes and 13 ships are scouring three areas about 1,240 miles (2,000 km) northwest of Perth.

Malaysia said on Saturday it had launched a formal investigation into the plane's disappearance that would include experts from Britain, Australia, the US, China and France.

The country's acting defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein said it would be made up of three groups.

The first would examine maintenance records, structures and systems.

The second would study flight recorders, operations and meteorology.

The third, a "medical and human factors" group, would look into psychology, pathology and survival.

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Patients 'At Risk' From Overworked Doctors

One of the Britain's most senior doctors has warned that lives are being put at risk because hospital doctors are under constant "strain and stress".

The president of the Royal College of Physicians, Sir Richard Thompson, attacked ministers over NHS budget cuts that he says are threatening the standard of care because doctors are "missing symptoms".

He claimed some doctors are facing caseloads during one shift of up to 70 patients - far more than the maximum 20 regarded necessary for proper care.

And he said worrying number of hospitals, especially smaller ones, face "serious" gaps in their medical rotas.

In an interview with the Guardian, Sir Richard said: "You try standing on your feet for seven hours trying to be on the ball, thinking of the various complications, being nice to patients, for seven hours. It's absolutely destructive.

"Not everyone has 70, but most people are looking after well over 20.

"If you've got over 20 it becomes impossible. The care gets thinner and thinner. It means the consultant can't see the patient as much or indeed as early as they should do, so obviously the standard of care is going to fall."

Sir Richard claims doctors are missing patients' vital signs

Sir Richard accused the coalition of cutting the NHS budget despite repeated pledges, including from David Cameron, to protect it from the austerity programme.

"In spite of what weasly words people at the top say, money's been taken out of the NHS," he said, citing the £2.8bn that has been given to social care in the past three years.

As a result, he claimed: "The NHS is under-doctored, under-nursed, under-bedded and under-funded. There are too few doctors to do the increasingly large job to a high standard, and safely, and compassionately."

A Department of Health spokesman responded by saying: "Patient safety and care is a priority for the Government and it is right that we have high expectations for our NHS.

"While the NHS is one of the safest, most efficient healthcare systems in the world we should never shy away from trying to improve standards for patients."

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Race Against Time In Missing Plane Search

The search for flight MH370 has intensified again today in a bid to find the plane's black box recorders before their batteries run out.

Up to 10 military planes, three civilian jets and 11 ships are scouring more than 1,000 square miles of sea off the west coast of Australia.

Today's hunt will take in three large patches of the southern Indian Ocean, some 2,000km, 2,300km and 1,800km northwest of Perth.

Green shows areas to be searched today, grey is areas already searched

Dozens of flights by a multi-national taskforce have so far failed to turn up any trace of the plane, which was carrying 239 people when it vanished from radar on March 8.

Experts say the underwater phase of the hunt has reached a "desperate" stage with limited chance of success.

Marine salvage and radar experts laid out the scale of the challenge facing search teams, after Australian Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston announced plans to use black box pinger locators deep in the southern Indian Ocean.

Speaking on Sky News, radar expert Professor David Stupples said the pinger locators would be able to cover just 150 square miles a day, in an overall search area of around 87,000 square miles.

Marine salvage expert John Noble told Sky's Ian Woods the latest phase suggested authorities were getting "desperate" in their search for the plane.

He said: "It's a desperate last-minute move because they know the pinger is going to run out within the next few days and if they don't give it a go now they'll never find it using these techniques."

As the extensive search wears on, Malaysia's opposition leader has accused the government of deliberately concealing information about the missing plane.

In an interview with Sky News, Anwar Ibrahim, who personally knew the pilot of the missing plane, cast doubt on official accounts coming from Malaysian authorities.

A pinger locator can detect signals from the flight recorder

The hunt for wreckage is relying on the plane's black box recorders emitting pings that can be detected by equipment on board the ships.

But the battery-powered recorders stop transmitting about 30 days after a crash.

With the clock ticking down since MH370 went missing more than four weeks ago, Mr Houston acknowledged time is running out for search crews.

He said: "The locater beacon will last about a month before it ceases its transmissions - so we're now getting pretty close to the time when it might expire."  

Locating the data recorders and wreckage after the devices stop working is possible, but incredibly difficult.

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UK Smog Set To Ease As Cleaner Winds Move In

Air pollution levels will drop towards the weekend as cleaner winds move in from the Atlantic, Defra has said.

Ambulance services in the UK have reported a spike in the number of emergency calls from people suffering with asthma, lung problems and heart conditions as a result of smog.

The poor air quality has been triggered, in part, by dust from the Saharan desert whipped up by a large storm in north Africa.

During the day on Thursday, air pollution reached "very high" - the highest on a scale of 1-10 - in London and the South-East.

Yellow areas show "moderate" air pollution. Pic: Defra

But these levels will drop to moderate or low as the southwesterly winds move in.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "England and Wales will have moderate or low levels of pollution as the cleaner southwesterly winds extend their influence north and east.

"Low levels are expected across Scotland and Northern Ireland."

Sky weather producer Joanna Robinson said: "Air pollution has been a big concern across England and Wales over the last few days, with some locations in the south-east reporting very high levels.

"To really improve the air quality we need a change in air mass and the arrival of lower pressure, which will help disperse the pollutants into the higher atmosphere.

"Thankfully, we'll see that change on Friday. South-westerly winds will develop, bringing in cleaner air from the Atlantic, but it may take some time for eastern England to see the effects.

"Overall there'll be improvements in the air quality going into the weekend, with just low levels of pollution forecast by Sunday."

The Shard in London is obscured by smog

London Ambulance Service said it had received 14% more 999 calls from people suffering with breathing difficulties. West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed it had also seen a rise in emergency calls.

A poll of asthmatics by the charity Asthma UK also found about a third had suffered an attack as a result of the smog, while 84% had used their blue reliever inhaler more often than usual.

The pollution reached record levels in Harrow, northwest London, and Rochester, Kent.

Health warnings were issued for people exercising strenuously outdoors

Public Health England has advised adults and children with lung problems, as well as adults with heart conditions, to consider reducing strenuous physical exercise, especially outdoors.

Some of the dust has appeared as red speckles on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces after being deposited by rain.

However, many of the health fears surround particulates - the tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel-powered cars and industry that can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

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MH370: Search For Flight Black Box Under Way

The head of the Australian search agency has said the underwater hunt for the black box from missing flight MH370 begins later today.

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston told a news conference: "The Australian Navy and the Royal Navy have today commenced a sub-surface search for emissions from the black box pinger from Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

"Using the towed pinger from the US Navy on Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield and a similar capability on HMS Echo, the two ships will search a single 240km track converging on each other."

It comes after Malaysia's opposition leader accused the government of deliberately concealing information about missing flight MH370.

Mr Razak met with Mr Abbott at an Australian base near Perth

Anwar Ibrahim, who personally knew the pilot of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, called for an international committee to take over the Malaysian-led operation, saying "the integrity of the whole nation is at stake".

He indicated it was even possible that there was "complicity by authorities on the ground" in what happened to the plane and the 239 people on board.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he said it was "not only unacceptable but not possible, not feasible" that the plane had not been sighted by the Marconi radar system immediately after it changed course.

He claimed the radar would have instantly detected the jet as it travelled east to west across "at least four" Malaysian provinces.

Mr Anwar told the newspaper it was "baffling" that the country's air force had "remained silent", and suggested that it "should take three minutes under SOP (standard operating procedure) for the air force planes to go. And there was no response".

Mr Anwar's comments follow a pledge made by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and his Australia counterpart Tony Abbott that no effort would be spared to give the families of those on board the answers they need.

The two countries are heading multinational efforts in the Indian Ocean in the hunt for debris to solve the mystery of the jet.

Mr Razak, whose government has been harshly criticised by some victims' families for giving sometimes conflicting information about the flight and for the slow pace of the investigation, described the search as a "gargantuan task".

The investigation remains the responsibility of Malaysia

But he insisted there would be no let up for the sake of the victims' families.

He said: "We owe it to the grieving families to ... give them comfort and closure to this rather tragic event and the world expects us to do our level best.

"We want to find answers. We want to provide comfort to the families and we will not rest until answers are indeed found."

Mr Abbott said Australia was "throwing everything at it" to find the plane, which disappeared on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

No trace of the jet has been found almost four weeks after it vanished.

Relatives of the victims are still trying to get answers

Ten planes and nine ships were involved in search operations Thursday, scouring the ocean far off Australia's southwest corner where investigators believe the plane may have ended up after unknown events occurred on board.

More resources will be committed to the wreckage hunt today, with 14 planes and nine ships to search a 84,000 sq mile (217,000sq km) expanse 1,100 miles (1,700km) northwest of Perth, the Joint Agency Coordination Centre overseeing the search said.

Although Australia is co-ordinating the ocean search, the investigation into the tragedy ultimately remains Malaysia's responsibility.

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Air Pollution: 10 Things You Need To Know

By Martin Jefferies, Sky News Online

People with lung and heart problems have been warned to avoid strenuous activity as air quality falls to its lowest possible level across parts of the country. We look at what is behind the increase in air pollution and ask just how serious the problem is.

:: What is causing air quality to drop?

The poor air quality levels sweeping across much of England and Wales are caused by a combination of dust blown in from the Sahara desert and harmful emissions from both the UK and Europe.

Light winds have allowed this cocktail of natural and man-made pollutants to linger in the skies above the country.

:: What is in the air?

As well as dust and sand particles from the Sahara desert, traffic pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter - combined with the ozone created when sunlight reacts with NO2 and VOCs - cause air quality to worsen.

Vehicles and industry are the biggest contributors to air pollution

Although these pollutants can cause air pollution close to where they are emitted, they can also travel long distances, with emissions from mainland Europe adding to the current problems in southeast England.

The dust falls to the ground when it rains, leaving a fine residue on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces. 

:: What are the health implications?

Air pollution can cause runny eyes and noses, as well as coughs and sore throats, but the effects can be more serious among the very young, the elderly and those with existing lung or heart problems.

Dr Keith Prowse, former chairman of the British Lung Foundation and an honorary medical adviser, told Sky News: "People with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) should make sure they have their reliever inhalers with them, and those who use preventer inhalers may have been told to double their dose.

"The best advice is not to go out when pollution levels are high and not to take part in strenuous exercise."

Face masks are a common sight in many parts of the world

:: Will people need to start wearing face masks?

Worsening air pollution in places like China has made face masks a must-have accessory for many people.

However, Dr Carol Cooper, a London GP, said: "A good piece of advice is not to bother. They're not generally very effective and wearing one can actually make breathing more difficult.

"Wearing a face mask in somewhere like southeast Asia is more of a cultural thing than a medical one."

Dust from thousands of miles away in Africa is adding to the problems

:: How does sand from the Sahara end up in the UK?

"There are currently strong dust storms across the Sahara and because the winds in the upper atmosphere are blowing in a southerly direction, this is sending the dust and sand particles over western Europe and into the atmosphere over England and Wales," Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said.

"The reason we've seen the orange deposits is because of recent rainfall. Any rain clears the dust from the upper atmosphere, bringing it down to lower levels, and as the water evaporates it leaves behind the orange dust.

Airports are not expecting the Saharan dust to cause significant problems

:: Is the dust likely to cause any disruption to flights?

Many air passengers will remember the chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud generated by the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull in 2010.

Flights were grounded across the UK and Europe amid fears dust could cause engine damage.

However, a spokesman for Nats, the British air traffic control service, said it was "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights, while a British Airways official added: "We are not expecting our customers to be affected in any way."

London and the South East are among the areas worst affected

:: How is air pollution measured?

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) measures air quality on a scale of one to 10, with each number given a different colour to visualise the extent of pollution on a map of the country.

London and the South East, including East Anglia, Essex and Kent, are currently coloured purple, indicating "very high" levels of air pollution, whereas the North, Scotland and Northern Ireland appear green, suggesting levels are much lower.

Beijing, in China, has battled with smog for many years

:: How does air pollution in London compare to other countries?

London appears way down a World Health Organisation (WHO) list of the most-polluted cities in the world, with similar pollution levels to other major cities such as Budapest and Dusseldorf.

The capital is around 13 times less polluted than the city with the worst air quality - Ahwan in southwestern Iran - and has air seven times cleaner than that of Delhi, although it lags behind places such as Munich, Tokyo and Canberra.

Pollution is measured by the average number of tiny particles in the air per cubic metre.

Smog descends on Christmas shoppers in London's Regent Street in 1962

:: Has air quality not been improving in the UK?

There has been a marked improvement in urban air quality over the last two decades.

In 1993, air pollution was at moderate or higher levels for roughly one day in every six. Using the same methodology, that figure is now around one in every 36.

There has been a huge drop in the amount of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide in the air, but although pollution at the roadside has shown signs of long-term improvement, it has remained relatively stable since 1998.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK over claims it is years late reaching agreed EU standards.

Smog hangs over many of central London's most famous landmarks

It says levels of toxic gas nitrogen dioxide remain "excessive" and are contributing to respiratory problems and premature deaths.

:: How long is this latest bout of air pollution likely to last?

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend, helped by outbreaks of rain in the West that will effectively wash away dust and other contaminants from the atmosphere.

However, Ghaffar said: "Rain is only a brief relief from the dust in the atmosphere. A change in wind direction is needed to stop the flow of particles blowing through and from Thursday, that is what we can expect."

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Air Pollution: UK Braced For Third Day Of Smog

A health warning remains in force for millions of vulnerable people as the country prepares for a third day of record air pollution levels.

High levels of smog are forecast today for East Anglia, the Midlands, Lincolnshire, the Wirral and the north coast of Wales.

Parts of England are experiencing the highest level of air pollution ever recorded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in part due to dust from the Sahara.

The elderly, people with asthma, and those with lung and heart conditions are being told to take precautions as forecasters say the smog will not clear until Friday.

Forecast for April 2, 3, 4. Dark red, purple are highest levels. Pic: Defra

Pollution from Europe, low southeasterly winds and domestic pollution have also contributed to the plummeting air quality.

Public Health England (PHE), Asthma UK and Defra have all issued warnings.

Sotiris Vardoulakis from PHE said: "On occasions where levels are high, adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems, should reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms.

"Anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, coughing or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors."

A view of London's Canary Wharf on Wednesday

Moderate pollution levels are also likely to affect the northwest coast of England, southwest Scotland and the northeast coast of Northern Ireland.

The UK's 3.6 million asthmatics are being advised to use their blue reliever inhalers more often.

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said: "The two-thirds of people with asthma who find that air pollution makes their asthma worse will be at an increased risk of an attack following the alarming Defra warning of high pollution levels around the country."

Saharan dust gets blown over to Britain several times a year. This latest episode has been caused by a large wind storm in North Africa.

Some commuters have taken to wearing face masks

Cars in some areas of the country have been covered with speckles of the dust.

The World Health Organisation estimates seven million premature deaths annually are linked to air pollution.

The UK is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels. Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

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Defra: Air Pollution Levels To Top The Scale

Air pollution will reach "very high" or "high" levels across much of England on Wednesday, the UK's Environment Department has warned.

The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said air pollution will worsen, reaching the top level of 10 in some areas in the South and Midlands.

It said: "High to very high air pollution is expected across much of England to the south of a line from Merseyside across to The Wash."

London will be among the areas worst hit.

Adults and children with lung problems, adults with heart problems, and older people, have been told to avoid strenuous physical activity.

It will be the second day in a row that the country has been hit by heightened smog levels.

Rising smog levels are linked to dust blown from the Sahara

On Tuesday Defra recorded "high" to "very high" air pollution levels across East Anglia, parts of southeast England and around the Humber.

The agency has linked the increased air pollution levels to sandstorms in the Sahara.

A spokesperson told Sky News: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara."

Many in the country have woken up over the last few days to see a thin level of red sand coating cars and streets.

The Met Office said: "A large amount of sand and dust was swept up by storm winds in the desert, around 2,000 miles away in northwest Africa.

Sand from the Sahara is being blown towards the UK

"The airborne particles were blown north to the UK where they combined with our warm air and were deposited during showers."

Paul Hutcheon at the Met Office added: "We usually see this happen several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly winds to bring that dust here.

"More dust rain is possible during showers expected later this week."

However, it seems the high pollution levels won't last for long. 

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill told Sky News: "As we head towards the latter part of this week; Thursday into Friday, the air quality is set to improve.

"By the weekend the air pollution will be low across the UK."

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) air pollution poses the world's most serious environmental health risk. 

It found that pollution, ranging from cooking fires to car fumes, was linked to seven million deaths in 2012. That is roughly one in eight.

The biggest pollution-related killers were heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease and lung cancer, the WHO said.

England is not the only country to be hit by increased smog levels recently.

Last month Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

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Tsunami Sparked After Huge Chile Earthquake

A tsunami has been triggered after an 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile, with five people reported dead.

The Chilean navy says some areas in the north of the country were hit by waves 45 minutes after the quake was felt at 6.46pm (10.46pm BST) on Tuesday.

Waves measuring up to seven feet have been reported and a mass evacuation is under way as Chile's president Michelle Bachelet declared northern parts of the country a disaster area.

The tsunami alert will remain in place for Chile and Peru until at least 9.30am BST, officials have said.

Chile's Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo said four men and one woman had died either from heart attacks or being crushed. At least three others are seriously injured.

Politicians in Chile have ordered the "preventative evacuation" of hundreds of thousands of people from coastal areas, but this is being hampered by landslides which have blocked roads.

Fires have broken out in Iquique

Chilean journalist Jorge Garreton told Sky News: "Northern Chile has been expecting an earthquake. There were a number of exercises in the recent past. People know where they have to go to the safety zones.

"The northern cities are low-lying so they have to go up to the mountains. They have been advised not to take vehicles but to walk."

The huge tremor occurred 62 miles (99km) northwest of the mining town of Iquique.

Several fires have broken out in Iquique, while 300 inmates have escaped from a women's prison amid the chaos.

Thousands of homes have lost power and the government is sending in troops to prevent looting.

Chilean TV shows geological data from the magnitude-8.2 tremor

Mr Penailillo added: "We have taken action to ensure public order in the case of Iquique, where we've had a massive escape of more than 300 female prisoners from the Iquique jail, so that the armed forces and police can coordinate and provide tranquillity and security to the residents."

The tsunami warning initially placed the entire Pacific Coast of Latin America on alert but has now been downgraded to just Chile and Peru.

"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicenter within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours," the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said.

Residents of Chile's northern coastline evacuating

The quake happened just 12.5 miles (20.1 km) below the seabed - making it feel even more powerful.

The tremor shook buildings in parts of the nearby nations of Bolivia and Peru.

At least eight strong aftershocks followed in the first few hours, including a 6.2 tremor.

More aftershocks and even a larger quake could not be ruled out, according to seismologist Mario Pardo at the University of Chile.

The area has been rocked by several quakes in the last two weeks. A magnitude-6.7 quake on March 16 prompted more than 100,000 people to briefly evacuate low-lying areas.

Residents prepare to evacuate to higher ground

US officials say there is no imminent threat of a tsunami along the coasts of Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon or Washington.

A 8.8-magnitude quake caused a tsunami that killed more than 500 people in Chile in February 2010.

Sky News's Greg Milam said: "They learnt a lot of lessons from the quake in 2010 about the need not only of getting the warnings out but also about giving people somewhere to go.

"They won't have supplies sitting in the shelters day by day but they will have capabilities to get those supplies there.

"There was an evacuation a couple of weeks ago. There was no tsunami on that occasion but that would have been a wake-up call, as the earthquakes here over the past few weeks have been a wake-up call about the need to be prepared."

More follows...

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