The world rushes to help

Foreign rescue teams to search for victims underneath the debris.

The international community has started sending disaster relief teams to Japan after the latter suffered a massive earthquake and tsunami on Friday. The United Nations is also sending a group to help co-ordinate work.

"We are in the process of deploying nine experts who are among the most experienced we have for dealing with catastrophes. They will help evaluate the needs and coordinate assistance with Japanese authorities," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The team of UN disaster relief officials included several Japanese speakers and an environmental expert, she said. Meanwhile, Yukio Edano, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, said there had been a radiation leak at Tokyo Electric Power Cos Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The 8.9-magnitude earthquake the strongest ever in Japan sent a 10-metre high tsunami ripping through towns and cities across the northeast coast on Friday. Japanese media estimate at least 1,300 people to have been killed.

The UN has announced that four foreign search and rescue teams (Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States) were on their way after Japan requested help.

Singapore was also deploying an urban search and rescue team in Japan, Byrs said even as Switzerland announced it was sending a team of 25 rescue and medical experts, accompanied by nine sniffer dogs. Britain also said it was sending help, after receiving a request form Japan.

The Swiss team would be charged with searching for victims underneath the debris of the tsunami, Toni Frisch, head of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit said on Swiss radio.

The Swiss unit is a militia corps comprising a pool of at least 700 people with skills ranging from engineering, seismology, telecommunications and war surgery.

Britain said it would be flying out 63 British search and rescue personnel and two dogs to Japan in response to a request from Tokyo.

The team will take up to 11 tonnes of equipment, including heavy lifting and cutting equipment.

"People will have seen the scale of it, it's truly devastating. We will need a really big coordinated international response and Britain is playing a full part in that," Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne told Sky News.

He said Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague had spoken to his counterpart in Japan and offered help following the explosion at the Japanese nuclear reactor. "On the nuclear issue, the Japanese are taking the lead," Browne said.