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Japan's Nuclear Crisis Worsens; Markets Tank; Living Through the Quake; Third Explosion at Nuclear Plant; Lost & Found in Japan; Libyan Troops Gain More Ground; Marooned At Home In Japan

Aired March 15, 2011 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7, I'm Suzanne Malveaux. We want to get you up to speed for Tuesday, March 15th.

Want to start with these new and unbelievable scenes of Japan's tsunami. A Pacific fishing town literally washes away in six minutes. More of that video just ahead.

The Dow is following Japanese stocks and falling hard this morning. Blue chips plunged almost 300 points at the open. Now they are down 218 points. Japan's Nikkei tumbled more than 10 percent today.

A 6.1 aftershock jolted Japan just a short time ago. Geologists say the quake was relatively shallow. Shaking was felt over a large area, and seismologists have upgraded the primary earthquake that hit on Friday to a magnitude 9.0.

Japan's nuclear crisis edged closer to the brink today. A fire and explosion at the Fukushima nuclear complex caused radiation to spike to dangerous levels for a time. Now, officials say the blast may have damaged the containment vessel which is designed to hold in radioactive material.

The Japanese government is ordering now commercial planes to steer clear of the airspace around the nuclear site. The no-fly zone will keep planes from spreading radiation. The Japanese prime minister is urging people near the nuclear power plant to stay in their homes until they are evacuated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NAOTO KAN, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We would like to ask you to remain indoors, at home or in your offices. We would like to ask to you remain indoors and avoid going outside.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Japan says more than 3,300 people are confirmed dead in the disaster. Sixty-seven hundred are missing. Officials say close to half a million people are homeless and living in shelters.

Well, three days of not knowing end for these family members. They hold an emotional reunion at a shelter and learned that none of their relatives died in the disaster. Such a good news story. Also another one. Rescue workers find surprise in the wreckage. This 4-month-old baby girl, she survived the cold, wrapped in a pink wool bear suit. The tsunami yanked the infant from her parents' arms on Friday, but today they are holding her tight again.

Well, now more on the worsening crisis at Japan's crippled nuclear power plant. A fire may have burned fuel rods containing radioactive material. It's not clear how much radiation has been released into the atmosphere.

But our CNN's Stan Grant, he joins us from Tokyo with the latest to help us understand the risks here.

And Stan, I understand -- before we get to that, there was another aftershock that you felt there.

STAN GRANT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Suzanne, there was. And this has registered about 6.1.

It happened about an hour or so ago. I was actually standing where I am right now. We were about to go live, and the whole building started to sway.

We're on the ninth floor, I am here. And it really shook it, it really swayed. Where I was, on the balcony, it felt like it was almost going to give way at one point. I was hanging on to the rail here.

It was probably the most intense that I felt in the past four or five days. It seemed to last for about a minute or maybe more.

It really was a reminder of what people must have felt when that devastating earthquake hit last week, of course, and they're still dealing with the fallout from that, particularly around these nuclear reactors. But it certainly did shake things up for a while here -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And Stan, I under there was an explosion, a fire at this plant. Tell us about that.

GRANT: Yes. There is so much uncertainty, so many questions still to be answered about this.

You know, this emergency, the nuclear emergency, it seems to swing from crisis to crisis not just each day, but almost each mother. Let's just look at two issues today, the number 2 reactor and the number 4 reactor.

There was an explosion in the number 2 reactor. And the concern here is it may have damaged the containment vessel which surrounds the core of the reactor. And, of course, that's very important. It's the last line of defense before you have a full meltdown to stop that harmful radioactive material spilling out and getting out of the building and into the atmosphere.

Then, in reactor number 4, there was a fire. Now, officials are not ruling out a hydrogen explosion there.

And what's also concerning is that there was a pool of spent fuel rods. Now, what officials are concerned about is that the water may have evaporated and those fuel rods may have been caught up in this fire.

What they do know is that there was a real spike in the radiation levels. It went way higher than it has at any other point in the past few days, to a point where it would have been dangerous to health.

That was contained within the nuclear plant, and those rates have been dropping at the perimeter of that nuclear plan. But the prime minister is warning to expect that perhaps that those radioactive levels, those radiation levels, could even spike again in the coming days -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: So, Stan, what are folks doing there? What kind of precautions are they taking?

GRANT: Well, people have been moved out of their homes. There's a 12-mile perimeter around the nuclear power plant. Two hundred thousand people have been shifted out of there.

The prime minister today widened that even further, another two or three miles, and he's saying that people need to stay indoors, keep the windows shut, keep the door closed, to avoid coming into contact with any of this potentially hazardous radioactive material. So what they are really hoping for now is they can get in and contain the problem in the reactor before we see these continued spikes in radiation -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Stan Grant, thank you for the update. We appreciate it.

Well, here's your chance to "Talk Back" on the big story of the day, the Japanese quake and tsunami. Some people, well, they are getting into trouble, quite frankly, for what they have been saying about it.

Our Carol Costello, she joins us with our "Talk Back" question.

I guess people are not being so sensitive about what's happening over there.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's a nice way to put it, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Yes.

COSTELLO: It's a little more than that, as you well know.

What's going on in Japan is unbelievably tragic. Thousands are dead. Tens of thousands are homeless. And now there is a very real threat of a nuclear meltdown.

It's nothing to joke about it. Right? Wrong. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried, voice of AFLAC's famous duck, tweeted jokes like this one about the tsunami: "Japan is really advanced. They don't go the beach. The beach comes to them."

AFLAC promptly fired Gottfried. His tweets were pulled.

But insensitive Japan jokes were all over the Twitterverse. And they didn't just come from comedians. Rapper 50 Cent talked about evacuating his hoes from L.A., Hawaii, and Japan. The rapper later said his tweets were for shock value and expressed sympathy for the victims.

And in the world of sports, WNBA star Cappie Pondexter had to apologize after tweeting that God might have been punishing Japan for Pearl Harbor.

Even a politician, an aide to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, quit after being busted for writing insulting e-mails, including one poking fun at Japan.

Black humor is one thing. I get that. But this is just plain mean. It's callous, and seemingly done without empathy and with no thought.

So, "Talk Back" today: Why do some people feel it's OK to joke about tragedy?

Send your feedback to Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I well read your responses later this hour.

MALVEAUX: I don't under it, Carol. I just don't.

COSTELLO: It's five days after the tragedy. I mean --

MALVEAUX: I don't get it.

COSTELLO: I can't envision a time when it would be OK. But five days after tragedy?

MALVEAUX: Right.

COSTELLO: Doesn't that say something about our wider culture? I don't know.

MALVEAUX: Let's see what folks have to say about it.

COSTELLO: It will be interesting.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

MALVEAUX: Appreciate it.

Well, here's a look at what's ahead "On the Rundown."

First, an update on the markets after today's big plunge in the Nikkei index.

And an iReporter's experience living through the earthquake in Japan.

Also, the quake was so powerful, it actually altered time, if you can believe that.

Plus, the agonizing search for loved ones and the joy of finding them alive. Finally, rescued by boat, saved from the tsunami waters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I asked this man what's going through his mind. He tells me he just wants to go to a safe place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The volume of water was so high, the car wouldn't move. My daughter and I tried our hardest to push her up to this hill. She was so heavy, I let go of her hand. I think this is the area where it happened. I am thinking that I might have closure if I keep sitting here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, so sad.

An elderly man in Japan sees his wife washed away in the tsunami, and all he can do is watch and wait and hope that she makes it back.

We are following other stories. CNNMoney.com's lead story now, the Dow tumbling over 200 points. There you can see U.S. stocks plunging Tuesday after Japan's Nikkei index sinks more than 10 percent.

To take a look at the specific numbers here, 225 is the latest number on the Dow Jones, sinking there.

I want to bring in our Alison Kosik, who is at the New York Stock Exchange, to give us a sense of whether or not we should be worried.

Obviously, when you take a look at Japan's economy, there is a ripple effect here.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Oh, we're definitely seeing that ripple effect, Suzanne. And what you're seeing right now, traders tell me, is, to some degree, you know, panic selling as far as the fact that it's a reaction to the nuclear reactor exploding in Japan, the third one yet.

Now the worry is that the nuclear situation could go global. So, yes, you're seeing a bit of a panic reaction here.

And we're especially seeing companies that have exposure to the region being hit the hardest. I'm talking about insurance companies including AFLAC, AIG, MetLife. Those shares, down three to nine percent.

Shares of General Electric -- GE shares down four percent. This is the second day GE shares have been hammered. That's because GE designed those nuclear reactors inside the plant in Japan -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And Alison, yesterday we saw the Bank of Japan pumping in $200 billion. But now these stocks are selling off.

What is it going to take to calm things down, do you think?

KOSIK: As far as calming down the financial markets, I think what investors really want to see that the nuclear threat at this point needs to be contained. But the problem is analysts are saying there are so many downside risks that are so open-ended at this point, it seems like we're getting these endless numbers of negative headlines coming from Japan, and that's only hurting the markets more.

The Bank of Japan is focusing on the short term, getting the crisis under control financially. But investors here in the U.S., they're looking at the longer term, especially at Japan's economy in particular.

It was already fragile before the earthquake hit. Now everybody is wondering if perhaps we could see a few quarters of a slowdown in Japan, and possibly Japan could go back into a recession. That, of course, is the worse-case scenario, but at this point investors are focusing on the worse-case scenario with the Dow down 223 points -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Alison, thank you. Appreciate it.

Well, another part of this story, the earthquake did so much damage, that it actually, if you can believe this, shortened the length of our days. Really. We're going to explain exactly how.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God. That is biggest earthquake to date. It is still going. Oh, my God, the building is going to fall!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: You're looking at remarkable footage from Fukushima as the 9.0 earthquake rattled the Japanese city. iReporter Ryan McDonald captured the moment the quake struck and some of the damage that it actually caused.

McDonald left Fukushima because of the radiation danger from the nuclear power plant that is there. He first went to Koriyama -- that's about 35 miles away -- and is now in Kitakata. That's about twice as far away.

And Ryan joins us now live.

Ryan, thank you so much for being here. You have been through so much during the past couple of days.

First of all, tell us how you're doing.

RYAN MCDONALD, AMERICAN LIVING IN JAPAN: We're doing 100 percent better than we were on Friday. Actually, from Friday to about Saturday night, we were doing pretty rough. But now we have escaped Kitakata. We're staying with some great friends.

And we have access to a shower, which is great. We have access to food and water. And we're right now -- we're safe. We're just a state of limbo because we don't exactly know what's going on.

MALVEAUX: Ryan, it's amazing when you think about it, a shower, food, water, just the basics you take for granted. And you have so much gratitude that you're in that situation now.

And you left Fukushima, and you had told us this before, because of the radiation, because of the concern, the dangers. Do you fear at all that your health has been impacted, that you have been exposed in any way?

MCDONALD: I don't at this moment because we're getting a lot of vague reports from the Japanese media. They are telling us this level has reached this, which is this, and that doesn't mean anything to me. I know nothing about atomic science.

But some people have explained online that if you're in the current 20-kilometer danger zone, you're exposed to maybe a chest x- ray or two chest x-rays, or something that's very small. So we're a good 60 miles away from the reactor, so I'm pretty sure we're safe. And we have huge mountain ranges in between us.

MALVEAUX: You explained before that one of the biggest problems that you're facing now is really the lack of information from the Japanese media, from the Japanese government. And we heard from the prime minister, who essentially said that radiation could become very high at some point. We heard from another official saying anybody who is within 20 miles or so from that plant needs to stay indoors.

Do you feel like you're getting enough information or accurate information from the government? What do you need to know?

MCDONALD: Well, our problem with the Japanese media, they are not being deceitful as far as I know, they are not lying or anything, but the Japanese culture itself is very different from Western culture. They don't get to the point directly, they talk kind of vaguely. They talk around the point. There's a lot of assumptions and intuitions and implications, which is -- for me it's completely unacceptable in a situation like this.

MALVEAUX: So, Ryan, bottom line, what do you want to know from them? What do you need right now for your well-being, your safety?

MCDONALD: What we would like to know is, if the plant completely explodes right now, worse-case scenario, how far will that go? Will it reach us, 60 miles away. Will it reach Hawaii?

That's what we don't know. We don't know what the danger zone is, or if we can return. Or should we escape?

MALVEAUX: Ryan, we certainly hope that you are safe, that you are out of the danger zone. We're going to try to get as much information as possible about that as we talk to other officials, those inside Japan, as well as out.

Thank you very much, Ryan.

MCDONALD: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Well, days after the disaster struck in Japan, we are getting some amazing new pictures of the tsunami's power. I want to you take a look at this video.

It was posted on Facebook and YouTube by an American living in Japan. And, really, their faces say it all. People watching in disbelief as the rushing water sweeps away everything in its path, including cars and houses.

Just listen.

I don't know about you, but you watch this photographer just go up that ramp from level to level. You wonder, at what point did he put his camera down and just wonder, it's too dangerous, I've got to get out of here, I've got to run?

Amazing video. You just saw a portion it, six or seven minutes or so, uninterrupted, just watching that water, powerful water, that tsunami take away that whole town.

Well, it may sound a bit crazy, but the earthquake in Japan, it was so powerful that we actually lost time. That's right, 1.8 microseconds a day.

And to explain this, our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras.

I don't understand. How is that even possible?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It's amazing, isn't it?

So the day, the Earth spins around a little bit faster. So we all just lost a little bit of time. I mean, it's basically inconsequential, but it's amazing to think that, you know, one earthquake could impact really the entire world in that way.

You know, in addition to that, by the way, in addition to losing time, this thing was so powerful, it actually shifted the axis of the Earth and changed the balance of power. We know that it swayed all of these buildings, and we know that the Earth's crust moved. In fact, a 215-mile line off the coast of Japan dropped an altitude about two feet. That's how amazing the powerfulness of this quake actually was.

All right. Let's talk about how this happened. How did we get the Earth spinning faster?

Well, we know about plate tectonics and we know about the subduction zone, right? So one plate goes underneath the other. And what happens is one plate is contracting, pushing down. The other one is expanding.

So we had that expansion take place right along that fault zone right here. And there was one part -- one GPS station that shows part of Japan moved eastward or closer to the United States by 13 feet. Thirteen feet! That's pretty amazing.

Now, the overall impact of that is that the Earth actually contracted. And as it contracted, as things get smaller, just like an ice skater brings their arms in from wider to smaller, it makes it spin just a little bit faster. So we lost just a little bit of time.

MALVEAUX: So would the clocks actually change? Would Greenwich Mean Time actually be adjusted because of this event?

JERAS: Well, we basically do everything on the atomic clock now. So UTC, or Universal Coordinated Time. The simple answer is yes.

We add these leap seconds every so often because the rotation of the Earth, it changes speed. It can do that just because of ocean currents and different atmospheric conditions, believe it or not, which are more significant than what this earthquake did. But, yes, we get leap seconds which are added periodically, and this will all get calculated into that.

MALVEAUX: All right. So, Jacqui, I'm dying to know, did we get older or younger?

JERAS: We got a little bit older because the day is shorter. Right? So our days are going by a little bit faster.

MALVEAUX: We just got more mature. Just a little more mature, not older.

JERAS: But, you know, milliseconds.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Jacqui.

JERAS: Sure.

MALVEAUX: It's absolutely fascinating. Appreciate it.

JERAS: OK.

MALVEAUX: Well, radiation fears rise in Japan now. We're going to talk with an expert about the latest explosion and fire at a nuclear power plant.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) MALVEAUX: Here's a look at what's ahead on the rundown.

We'll go live to Libya where Gadhafi force have taken another town from rebel fighters.

Plus, the agonizing search for missing loved ones in Japan, and the overwhelming emotion of finding them alive.

Also, surrounded by waters from the tsunami and finally rescued by boat.

And radiation everywhere, how much we are exposed to on a daily basis.

Well, Japan's nuclear crisis gets worse. After a fire and another explosion at that damaged power plant, Japanese officials say that radiation levels speck during that fire but then went down after it was out. So now there's concern the fire may have burned fuel rods containing radioactive material.

Japan's prime minister told people to take precautions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NAOTO KAN, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We need now for everybody to move out of the 20-kilometer radius from the number one plant.

And in areas from 20 to 30 kilometers from the power plant depending on what happens at the power plant, we would like to ask you to remain indoors, at home or in your offices.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, Japanese officials are scrambling to keep a nuclear crisis from turning into a catastrophe. Joining us to help us put the latest developments in to perspective is Michael Golay, he is a professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT.

I want to thank you, Professor, for being here.

If yesterday was a day of hope and survival, today certainly seems to be a day of uncertainty. There's limited information and what we have coming from Japan's prime minister and other officials is, quite frankly, alarming, that there's a risk now of more radioactive material being released and that risk is very high, people 20 miles next to that plant should stay indoors.

Do you think, knowing this science, that that is even sufficient?

PROF. MICHAEL GOLAY, NUCLEAR SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, MIT: I didn't hear the question. Can you say the last part again?

MALVEAUX: Certainly, Professor.

Do you think it's sufficient, those warnings, that they are telling people 20 miles from the plant that they should stay indoors, and the prime minister today saying there's a high risk now of more radio material being leaked?

GOLAY: The precautions that they are taking are consistent with what you would do in the event of a serious emergency. It's impossible to know whether these are sufficient because the amount of information coming from Japan is too little to really permit a confident answer.

MALVEAUX: What do we need to know?

GOLAY: We need to know what actions the utility has taken. We need to know the condition of the plant. Those are the primary things.

You also need to know something about the weather, but I'm assuming that that is well understood. And what I'm told is it's been snowing, and perhaps raining.

MALVEAUX: Can we get -- sure. Professor, can we get those details now or is that scene, that site where you've got various reactors, some of them in various states of damage, is it even possible to get the information we need right now?

GOLAY: I suspect that the utility company knows most of what I'm speaking about and I'm almost certain that they are sharing it pretty completely with the Japanese government. But what's available outside of those circles is -- is pretty sparse.

MALVEAUX: When you look at the scenario there on the ground what do you see? What are we dealing with? What's the worst case?

GOLAY: Well, I don't want to go to worst case because we're far from it.

In terms of what appears to be going on, it looks as if you've probably had fuel damage at four of the six units at that power plant.

The first three that have had trouble had been operating at full power, as I understand matters, when the earthquake occurred and they were shut down. And the staff at the plant have had some difficulty in cooling the reactor fuel because they lost all electric power, both offsite and backup power at the site.

It appears that two of those three units have been stabilized but with fuel damage and some release of radioactive material.

The third that is unit number two appeared yesterday, based on reports that are available, to have had more serious damage. It's impossible to know how serious, but it's the one that I pay most attention to.

And then overnight there have been reports that would be consistent with fuel damage at one of the three units which were shutdown for refueling. What I've been told is that there was a lubrication oil fire, which is not -- there are a lot of lubricants in a power plant and exactly how they might have caught on fire you can only guess at.

MALVEAUX: Right.

Professor, if I may -- if I may, just to sum this up for those who are watching, just how dangerous do you think the situation is now?

GOLAY: It's a matter for concern. From all I can tell, the Japanese government is taking appropriate precautions. I imagine for the people who are affected, that having more information would be useful.

But they've evacuated people out the 12 miles, as I've understood it, and they're essentially making special efforts to get everybody out, not just most people.

MALVEAUX: OK.

GOLAY: And they are telling people in the next five miles to shelter. If things get worse, you would expect them to evacuate as well.

MALVEAUX: OK. Professor Golay, thank you very much for your perspective. Obviously, we're trying to get as much information as we can about what is taking place. There are a lot of unanswered questions, as you have brought up, and still a lot of uncertainty today. We appreciate your time, thank you.

GOLAY: You're welcome.

MALVEAUX: Well, the tsunami washed away everything they owned, but survivors find something more precious, each other.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED NHK REPORTER (voice-over): Of his 50 employees, company only reach 22 up to yesterday. He is visiting public shelters and other places every day searching for the remaining employees, and he found one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Well, for some in Japan, there is the agony of just not knowing. Five days without any word from a loved one. Japanese channel NHK reports on Japan's lost and then found.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED NHK REPORTER (voice-over): Our crews saw a man walking in the devastated town. He says this was his home. Seventy-eight-year-old Shogo Cito (ph) escaped the tsunami with his family, but the home he lived in with his family for 30 years has been destroyed. Cito says he went up the hill and turned around to see his home swept away and crushed.

The extent of the damage has yet to be assessed and the rescue operation continues in the areas hit by tsunami, but the work is being hampered by continued aftershocks.

A family is reunited after three days. This person says everyone is safe, it's a miracle. But, yes, everyone is OK.

The man says his wife is pregnant and was flown to safety in (INAUDIBLE) defense force plane yesterday. He said he promised to protect their son and she promised to give birth to their second child when they parted. He says he wants to see her as soon as possible.

The name of a woman is pasted on a bicycle. This is the bicycle's owner. He says he's looking for his wife on his bike. He cycles around looking for his missing wife.

This city in Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture was devastated. Hidoweko Kono (ph) is the president of a Saki maker. When the quake occurred, he told his employees to decide whether to evacuate to shelters or go back to their families.

Tsunami hit Rikuzentakata. Kono's company can be seen at the front. He says he regrets more about the company's history being cut than losing his assets.

Of his 50 employees, Kono could reach only 22 up to yesterday. He is visiting public shelters and other places every day searching for the remaining employees, and he found one. Today, Kono could locate three more employees. Kono says he hopes to restart his business somehow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: While the eyes of the world stay fixed on Japan, Libyan troops are advancing on rebels. We're going to bring you a live report from Tripoli.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: We're keeping our focus on Japan's nuclear and humanitarian crisis, but let's take a quick look at other stories that's happening now.

A funeral is being held this hour for seven children who died in a fire at their Pennsylvania home last week. The children ranged in age from 7 months old to 11 years. The cause of the farmhouse fire is still being investigated.

Bahrain's king is now imposing a state of emergency. It comes one day after troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates moved in to help end weeks of protests. Washington is urging Americans to get out of Bahrain.

In Libya, Moammar Gadhafi's troops have retaken yet another town from rebels. Our CNN international correspondent, Nic Robertson, he's joins us from the capital there of Tripoli.

Nic, there's been attention that's been paid to Japan, a lot of people not focusing on the latest that's taking place there in Libya. What is -- what is the update?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the update is that the government forces in the east continue to be on a roll. All those towns that the rebels took about two to three weeks ago, the government has regained control.

Ajdabiya is the latest one. It's important for the government because it's a big oil refining city, or at least a city that has a lot of oil and gas pipelines coming into it. So it's strategically important.

They've taken that today. They claim -- pictures have been played on state television --- that the city Brega, yesterday, they claim to have taken that. The government is continuing its roll eastward, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: The focus has been on Japan for the last couple of days, the world paying attention to that, not so much in Libya. Do you think this hurts the rebel forces?

ROBERTSON: It certainly -- I mean, the thing that perhaps hurt the rebel forces the most is the fact that the international community hasn't spoken with one voice and come out in more demonstrative support of them either a no-fly zone or some other kind of intervention. That's Perhaps been the hardest thing for the rebels.

For the government here, they pretty much seem to be continuing on the roll they have been on since really before the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. So they were on this roll.

Does it take attention away from them? Absolutely. They know while there's a bigger story in the headlines there will be less attention on them, but it doesn't seem to really have affected their military plans.

As far as we can see at moment, with perhaps the exception of the town Zuwara way to the west of here, close to the Tunisian border, where we have reports of the government taking that back from the rebels, not that we -- as far as we know, was there ever an armed confrontation there in the first place, just people are gone over to the opposition's side -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: OK. Nic Robertson out of Tripoli. Thank you very much, Nic.

Well, some people apparently think that the quake disaster in Japan is a laughing matter. One comedian has lost his job over it and it's the subject of our "Talk Back" segment. Why do some people feel it's OK to talk about tragedy? Join that conversation at Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and your responses up right ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here's your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. Some high-profile people are making jokes about the earthquake in Japan. A lot of people don't think it's so funny.

Well, Carol, you said you have gotten tons of responses so far with people weighing in on this question, whether or not it's even appropriate.

COSTELLO: Almost 300 already. People feel strongly about this. It all stems from this AFLAC firing comedian Gilbert Gottfried after he tweeted more than 12 jokes about Japan's tragedy. But others joked, too; rapper 50 Cents, a WNBA star, even an aide to Haley Barbour.

So, "Talk Back" today -- Why do some people feel it's OK to joke about tragedy?

This from Eric. "It's a way to lighten the sadness. Deep down these people are bothered. I won't joke on tragedy, though."

This from Diane, "What would the reaction have been on 9/11 if the comedians or ordinary people made jokes. This is the same thing. It's completely tasteless and deplorable for anyone to joke about the horror that is happening in Japan."

This from Shana, she says, "Sometimes the only way a person with cope with a tragedy like this is to joke."

And this from Thom, "Like Mark Twain said, humor is tragedy plus time. Gottfried is only guilty of poor timing."

Keep the conversation going, Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I'll be back in about 10 minutes or so.

MALVEAUX: All right, thanks, Carol. Appreciate it.

Well, they survived the tsunami, but they found themselves marooned in their own homes with supplies running dangerously low, and then the boats began to arrive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How scary has this been for you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I had have no words. So scared. We had panicked.

TUCHMAN: You were panicked?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Panicked. Very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: With parts of Japan still submerged, rescue crews find that there's only one way to continue their mission, and that is by boat. Our Gary Tuchman went with them on one of their searches.

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GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The town of Ishinomaki, Japan is by the sea, but is also now part of the sea. Much of Ishinomaki is under water because of the tsunami.

Many have died here, but hundreds of people have been marooned. Now help is arriving.

(on camera): We're with members of the army now, trying to rescue these people.

(voice-over): We see a woman waving from her apartment window. She's desperate for drinking water. But to our surprise, doesn't want to evacuate her home, so we move on.

But most other people are very anxious and very grateful to go. For more than three days, residents have lived inside this office building surrounded by the tsunami waters. This is the pick-up point for rescue.

Inside the building, tired and frightened people await their turn for their boat ride out. There is no cell service, so these people don't know how their loved ones elsewhere are doing, and their loved ones don't know about them.

Buko Chiva (ph) doesn't know what happened to her parents.

(on camera): How scary has this been for you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I had have no words. So scared. We had panicked.

TUCHMAN: You were panicked?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Panicked. Very much.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): More boats are brought in so the pace of rescues can be quickened. The ride is ten minutes long.

Most of these people were not aware how devastating the tsunami has been. I asked this man what's going through his mind. He tells me he just wants to go to a safe place.

This soldier is one of dozens spending the day rowing. He says he knows the task is important, but the situation is emotionally difficult.

After they reach dry land, some of those rescued are taken to the hospital. Most of the others are able to walk off, but often without knowing where to go. After all, their hometown is under water.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Ishinomaki, Japan.

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