A dam has burst in the Fukushima region of Japan, close to the nuclear power station where technicians continue to monitor problems with the crucial cooling system. The bursting of the dam is unrelated to the nuclear power station, but has caused massive devastation in the region.

Meanwhile, a tsunami has hit Hawaii. There are no indications yet as to how severe this has been. The tsunami is now closing on the US west coast. So far, indications are that it will hit around the Cresent City area but should not be too damaging. Nevertheless, people are being urged to evacuate, and this is causing mass congestion in the area. There’s a real danger that panic will cause more damage than the actual tsunami.

The death toll has risen to the mid-100’s and may now reach four figures. It’s gone midnight in Japan and, 8 hours after the earthquake hit, rescue operations are hampered by the constantly changing situation. It is likely that the full scale of the disaster will become apparent only when dawn breaks in six or seven hours.