WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama pledged U.S. assistance to earthquake-ravaged Japan Friday following what he called a potentially “catastrophic” disaster.
“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 one U.S. aircraft carrier is already in Japan, and a second is on its way. A U.S. ship was also heading to the Marianas Islands to assist as needed, the president said.
Hundreds were dead or missing in Japan following Friday’s 8.9 magnitude earthquake — the largest in Japan’s history — and the accompanying tsunami.
Tsunami waves also swamped Hawaii’s beaches and grazed the West Coast. Obama said that while there have been no reports of major damage in the U.S., his administration is taking the situation seriously and monitoring developments closely.
Obama urged residents in the affected areas to take warnings from local officials seriously and evacuate if told to do so.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
President Barack Obama says the earthquake and tsunami in Japan are a potentially “catastrophic” disaster, and he says his
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