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Damaged Nuke Plant; Risking Lives to Avert Meltdown; IAEA's Role on Japan's Nuclear Crisis; Japan Crisis Sparks Worries in U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Visits Tahrir Square; Japanese Emperor Addresses Crisis; American Troops in Japan Could Be at Risk From Radiation; U.S. Troops Helping in Japan

Aired March 16, 2011 - 09:00   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I was just wondering, did you guys go to an Ivy League school?

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR, "AMERICAN MORNING": Oh, no.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR, "AMERICAN MORNING": No.

COSTELLO: I didn't either.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: And we're doing fine.

CHETRY: University of Maryland all the way, baby. Sorry about the NCAA tournament this year but yes.

COSTELLO: Stop that. OK. I'll see you, guys later. Thanks so much.

It is 9:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 6:00 a.m. on the West. I'm Carol Costello, sitting in for Kyra Phillips.

We begin, of course in Japan. Workers are back on the scene of a damaged nuclear plant, desperately trying to keep fuel rods from melting. They were pulled after a spike in radioactive levels.

Fifty miles from the plant traces of radiation are turning up in city tap water. Authorities in Fukushima City say the amounts found yesterday morning were not harmful and not even detectible later in the day.

For the first time in Japan's history an emperor has gone on television to address the national crisis. Emperor Akihito told citizens not to lose hope.

This is day six of the nuclear crisis. During that time we've seen grainy distant images of the hydrogen explosions that had rocked three reactors at the most damaged plants. This is the view up close of the buildings blown apart and the debris strewn across the ground.

That is the reactor three on the left-hand side of your screen and reactor four in the middle, if you can determine that. Radiation levels surged after that white cloud of smoke was seen coming from reactor three. The fear is that there is a crack in the steel and concrete shell that insulates radioactive material.

As CNN Stan Grant tells us, even nuclear experts are stumped by this white cloud.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STAN GRANT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They are looking into exactly what has caused that and they are still working on whether this consumption vessel that surrounds the core of the nuclear reactor holding in the more nasty radioactive substances has, in fact, been breached.

This is an ongoing concern. They have assumptions about what is happening but they can't get in and have a look at it. And remember, as well, the workers from the plant today were forced to evacuate themselves. Now this was after a fire in the reactor number four. There is a concern about a pool of spent fuel rods in there that may be dangerous to the exposed and also contributing to radiation in the atmosphere.

Now those workers did eventually come back. The numbers of those workers have swelled from 50 to 180 but the concern over radiation continues. In fact, in the city of Fukushima, the officials there say that they found traces of caesium and iodine in the water supply.

Now they were very, very low traces and officials say it posed no risk to people's health. In fact, you can drink that water but that's a very, very difficult message to tell people at this time with so much fear. And are people going to believe what they are being told? That's the real question here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Stan Grant reporting.

One of the more engrossing human dramas of this terrible story has been the Japanese workers who remain at that plant. They're trying to prevent a full-blown nuclear meltdown and they may die because of it.

Our next guest wrote a chilling account of what they are going through. Keith Bradsher is the Hong Kong bureau chief for "The New York Times."

Welcome, Keith.

KEITH BRADSHER, HONG KONG BUREAU CHIEF, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Thank you.

COSTELLO: I read your article. And I'm telling you, I did, I got chills. I just want to read a bit from your article to our viewers. This is one paragraph from Keith's article.

He said, "They breathe through uncomfortable respirators or carry heavy oxygen tanks on their backs. They wear white full body jumpsuits with snug-fitting hoods that provide scant protection from the invisible radiation sleeting through their bodies."

It's just unimaginable.

BRADSHER: These are really difficult conditions under which they are working. For starters, our plant doesn't have electricity for itself so they're -- they are working in often darkened halls, working by flashlight, trying to repair badly damaged equipment, periodic explosions of hydrogen gas, which is the same gas that resulted in the demise of the Hindenburg in these large blasts.

Bits of the building have fallen in and injured -- for example, in one of these hydrogen explosions, 11 workers were injured on Saturday when the walls blew out and the ceiling came down on that reactor. The walls and the ceiling of the secondary containment building, the outer most building.

So they are really working under very, very difficult conditions. And must make it even more difficult is that the community in which many of these workers lived was obliterated by the tsunami that's adjacent to the power plant.

COSTELLO: Did these workers volunteer to stay?

BRADSHER: Tokyo Electric has not said and they have not provided direct interviews with the individuals. They are the faceless 50. The 50 people who stayed behind when the other 750 workers evacuated.

Now that said, nuclear engineers who have -- who are very familiar with this particular model and with the Japanese nuclear power plant operator program say that they are certain that this -- that these would be volunteers.

You have a tremendous level of esprit de corps and dedication among nuclear power plant operators all over the world. There's ethos that you stay at your post even when things are going horribly wrong. And in Japan on top of that you have really a national tradition of sometimes extreme dedication to people's jobs.

COSTELLO: I'm just wondering why they remain faceless, why they aren't being hailed as heroes in Japan.

BRADSHER: Tokyo Electric has kept a very, very low profile on the individuals in this. Partly that's because they don't want anybody distracting any of their people from the task they have at hand.

Also, it's not possible to get into the reactor, of course, itself to interview any of these people. And these people are very, very preoccupied and busy with what they are doing. They are not doing it for celebrity. There's a famous saying by a French philosopher that what you do without the world knowing -- perfect valor is to do without the world knowing what you would do with what the world does know.

And in fact, they're doing these incredible acts of bravery without anybody knowing their names, their families or anything else about them, and it's really deeply impressive.

COSTELLO: It certainly is and your article is fascinating. So I urge people to read it.

Keith Bradsher, the Hong Kong bureau chief of "The New York Times." Thank you so much for sharing that story with us.

And two hours from now at 11:00 Eastern, we'll hear from someone within the nuclear industry. Michael Friedlander is a former operator of U.S. power plants. He will share his insights in the NEWSROOM.

Eight experts from the U.S. nuclear regulatory commission are on their way to Japan to help deal with this nuclear crisis but no one, as far as we know, from the International Atomic Energy Agency or the IAEA is in Japan. It's monitoring the situation from Austria. Even though the IAEA's stated mission is to protect people from harmful radiation exposure.

Jim Walsh is a CNN contributor and expert on all things nuclear.

And Jim, thanks for joining us. You know, the U.S. is stepping up to help. We have troops over there helping out. We have nuclear experts from the United States going over. Those 50 Japanese workers are still in the plant risking their lives.

So why isn't the IAEA there?

JIM WALSH, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, there are a couple of things going on here. One is that the IAEA relies on its member states. The U.S., France, countries who are part -- who are members of IAEA to provide most of the personnel that would then be sent over.

They don't have a huge staff themselves. But they are -- they should be acting in a coordinating role of preparing in advance and helping to make this and helping to make the transfer of talent and support possible. But I think they've been reticent and in part that reticence generates from the fact that they always defer to the member state.

You know they leave it to Japan to decide when and what to ask for and, in turn, the Japanese government has left it to the utility to decide when and what to ask for. And the result is everyone is standing around and watching as these events unfold and they get worse and worse.

So I'd like to see the IAEA take a more proactive role. I mean they -- have to respect national sovereignty but they can say we want to help, we're ready to help.

COSTELLO: But will the other --

WALSH: We will coordinate and help.

COSTELLO: The other thing that goes through your mind, we don't know if what's coming out of Japan about this nuclear crisis, if it's all true. We have no idea. There's a lack of transparency there. And isn't that, too, the role of the IAEA?

WALSH: Yes. I agree with that. That it's been a big frustration for all of us who are trying to understand what's going on. And, you know, I -- and to be quite honest, and I want to make clear, I've been a friend of the IAEA since I first got into this business.

I think they're super important. I would like to see them get bigger and stronger. They're -- I think they're one of the most important international agencies in the world. But having said that, you know, when I -- when this crisis first started I would go to different Web sites trying to find out information. I would talk to my nuclear friends in Japan and in the nuclear community here.

And the IAEA Web site had virtually nothing. They were mum. The World Nuclear Association, which is an industry group, right? They are the ones who are actually putting out better data and were more informed and more frequently updating their Web site with facts than the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Again probably sensitivities about the government, but when you are reluctant or you are slow, that undermines your credibility, I think.

COSTELLO: I think so. Jim Walsh, thanks so much for joining us. And you're going to join us later and we're here to hear more from you -- Jim Walsh.

With all the talk of leaking radioactive vapor and shifting winds Americans are a tad jumpy. More than jumpy in some places like California.

Meteorologist Rob Marciano is here with word on which way the wind is blowing today.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know, it's only natural to be jumpy because when we talk about storms that hit California often we talk about them coming from Hawaii and some extreme cases across the Pacific Northwest or come from Japan.

They'll be left over typhoons so -- considering that things come from west to east, we're concerned about this certainly and now the winds have switched to where they typically are which is from west to east. So from Tokyo, back to Anchorage, back to Seattle and San Francisco.

But you go to remember, I mean we're talking about 4,000 and 5,000 miles here for this stuff to travel. And this gives you a better aspect. I mean they're so far away we have to take pieces of satellites and kind of piece them together in order to give you this wider view.

But remember there's a difference between radiation and radioactive material. It's the radioactive material that sends off that radiation. So basically you have to get some of that material, be it in the dust or what have you, to be carried over to an area that's close enough for you to get to that radiation impact.

So to have that stuff travel 4,000 or 5,000 miles that's asking a lot and that's why we think or the experts certainly agree that most of this will dissipate.

Now for Japan, they had some onshore winds earlier this week. That's certainly was a problem. Right now things are very strong on the offshore direction but this high will kind of get over them later on this week and then that, Carol, may again -- might make for an onshore wind or at least make things settle a little bit more.

So the danger is still there for the folks in Japan but most experts agree that the danger -- there is not much danger here for the U.S.

COSTELLO: Not much danger so people should not overreact.

MARCIANO: Exactly.

COSTELLO: Although they are right now. We're going to get to that a little bit later.

Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: You bet.

COSTELLO: This just in actually. A Pakistani government official says a CIA contractor facing murder charges has been released from jails. The official says victims' families did not want to pursue charges against Raymond Davis.

Davis had been held in connection with a January shooting deaths of two Pakistani men. Davis has maintained the shooting was in self- defense.

Witnesses say security forces in Bahrain attacking demonstrators in the street and staff at the country's main hospital. We'll have a live report from Bahrain in just about 10 minutes.

And fears of a nuclear disaster in Japan have Americans stocking up. They're cleaning out store shelves of a drug that could protect them from radiation. The experts weigh in on weather this is prevention or panic.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We've been talking about how jumpy Americans are over the nuclear crisis in Japan. Now increasingly, they're taking steps to protect themselves from radiation that most experts say will never reach the United States.

This is where the potassium iodide used to be in an Arizona pharmacy. It is literally flying off the shelves. People want it because it can protect your thyroid gland from absorbing excessive amounts of radiation.

Same story drug stores across California, Washington state, Oregon, and western Canada. Pharmacists say they're struggling to keep up with demand. Internet retailers report the same sales rush, and that has manufacturers ramping up production, scrambling to fill orders. The owners of Fleming Pharmaceuticals in Missouri say they're working overtime trying to get the drug to the disaster zone ASAP while keeping US stores stocked, too.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBBY FLEMING WURDACK, CO-OWNER, FLEMING PHARMACEUTICALS: Keep it going, keep it going, keep it going, because the demand -- we've heard from federal agencies, we've heard from state governments, pharmacies, doctors' offices, housewives, daycare centers, hospitals, the list goes on and on.

We're doing whatever we can to get product to Japan as quickly as possible, and to people in the United States that are afraid that they could be impacted as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: OK, we'll say it again. We'll say it again and again. Keep this in mind. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission says Americans are not at risk for increased radiation exposure. That's echoed by the LA Health Department, which says, "Residents who ingest potassium iodide out of concern of possible exposure from this situation are doing something which is not only ineffective, but could also cause side effects."

But there are some mixed messages from the Surgeon General, who told reporters in California that she hadn't heard about west coasters stocking up, but she called it a precaution and said she's keeping a watchful eye on the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REGINA BENJAMIN, US SURGEON GENERAL: I'm not sure that there's a level of need right now. And certainly, the health officers are monitoring -- we at CDC are monitoring and will certainly alert the public if there's ever a real threat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Others are sure the threat is remote. Just ask the radiologist-in-chief at Massachusetts General Hospital. He told "American Morning" you don't need to rush out and buy potassium iodide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES THRALL, RADIOLOGIST-IN-CHIEF, MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL: In my opinion, there is no radiation risk in the US whatsoever. However, we also know from previous experience that there is a psychological reaction to radiation. There is a mystique about radiation. And so, even though I don't think people need to take potassium iodide, if it makes someone feel more secure having a supply on hand, that's a personal decision that that individual should make.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: But keep this in mind. Some health officials warn that taking potassium iodide can cause side effects.

The situation in Japan is hazardous for US troops helping with relief efforts. The natural disasters on the ground are horrific enough, and unnatural disaster from radiation have put American troops in harm's way. So, if things get worse, should they stay?

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits the symbolic site of the Egypt revolution. And, as you can see, CNN's Wolf Blitzer -- there he is, right behind her. We'll get Wolf on the phone to talk about his historic trip to Tahrir Square.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It was quite a scene, the American Secretary of State in Egypt's Freedom Square. CNN's Wolf Blitzer is traveling with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. There he is, right there behind Secretary Clinton. Today, Wolf will join the secretary for a -- actually, that's the tour of Cairo's Tahrir Square that was ground zero for the Egyptian revolution. Wolf is on the phone right now. So, Wolf, what was that like?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): It was exciting for her, exciting for all of us who remember covering it. She walked -- she sure she had enough security. I was sort of surprised that she just didn't have that much security. She had her regular State Department diplomatic security service with her, but there were no magnetometers. People were up and about.

They were all really excited to see her, it was a very pro-American crowd, I must say. They were all really happy to see the Secretary of State showing solidarity with the people of Egypt. It was only a few weeks we remember what was happening in Tahrir Square and, now, she just sort of walked around.

She also spent the day meeting with the top Egyptian leaders, the post-Mubarak leadership, the new prime minister and foreign minister. She also met with General Tantawi, who's the head of the military, which is really running the country between now and the next scheduled elections, which are hopefully going to be free elections, later this year.

But there's -- it's still a work in progress in Egypt. There's a lot that remains to be done, still a lot of tensions, still a lot of issues. And hovering over all of it right now, this deep concern about what's going to happen next door in Libya. There's no clear outcome there, although Gadhafi seems to have the decisive upper hand, at least right now.

COSTELLO: I know you're going to sit down with Secretary Clinton in a little while. What do you plan on asking her?

BLITZER: I think we're going to -- obviously, what's happening, here, in the Middle East. But I also want to touch base and talk about what's happening in Japan right now. Some governments are recommending that their citizens start leaving Japan. France, for example, making some suggestions along those lines. Is it time for the (AUDIO GAP).

Citizens, US diplomatic personnel, families of American diplomats at the embassy in Tokyo and consulates around the country, is it time to start getting out or not? And what can be done about the nuclear issues? How concerned is the United States over the potential for radiation poisoning from Japan?

We'll really go through Japan, we'll go through what's happening here in the Middle East, some other issues. It'll, hopefully, be a good interview.

COSTELLO: I'm sure it will, and we'll be looking forward to. Wolf Blitzer, live from Cairo. Thanks so much. Wolf will have more on his trip with Secretary Clinton, of course, on "The Situation Room" today, 5:00 PM Eastern on CNN.

In the meantime, in Bahrain, witnesses in the capital city of Manama say security forces attacked demonstrators on the street and stormed the country's main hospital, today. Demonstrators reported hearing a steady round of ammunition, while thick smoke rose from the rallying area.

We're coming up on the half hour. Some American troops have already been exposed to low level doses of radiation. If things get worse, is there a plan? Should they stay? We'll talk with General Russel Honore next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We're coming up on half past the hour. Time to check the latest headlines on Japan's nuclear crisis. On the left of your screen is rubble surrounding reactor number three. The damaged building in the middle surrounds reactor number four. Some experts say that plume of smoke in the middle suggests there is a crack in the steel and concrete shell that insulates radioactive material. That's a bad thing.

Fifty miles from the plant, traces of radiation have been found in tap water. Officials in Fukushima City say the amounts found yesterday morning were not harmful and that later tests did not find any trace at all.

And for the first time in Japan's history, an emperor has gone on television to address a national crisis. Emperor Akihito told citizens not to lose hope.

The US military is in and around Japan doing what it can to help. A half dozen navy ships are in the coastal waters off Japan, and many are just awaiting word on how they can help. Four more ships are on the way, but this relief mission faces the unique and frightening risk of radiation. Already, 17 crew members came back with low levels after flying through a radioactive cloud.

So, what's being done to protect our men and women, sons and daughters? CNN Pentagon Correspondent Chris Lawrence has a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (on camera): We've just learned that the US military has given the Japanese two water trucks in order to help cool down that malfunctioning reactor at the Fukushima power plant.

The Japanese workers were trained on how to use those trucks at a US military base near Tokyo and then, those workers have now taken the trucks out to the power plant.

In addition, the US military has now delivered more than 25 tons of food, water, blankets to survivors in the affected zone. They've also been running regular search and rescue missions right along the coastal areas.

Now, could the US military decline a mission it felt was too dangerous for its troops? Of course. But as you look at the map, they've already started to take some precautions. The "USS Ronald Reagan" carrier strike group, which had been close to shore, has now been further -- has moved further north, away from that downwind plume of radiation.

In addition, as we look at the second map, you can see that several ships that were supposed to go to the Pacific side have been rerouted to the Sea of Japan on the western side of Japan to try to get away from that radiation.

In addition, the helicopter crews that have been running regular missions into that affected zone have been told to keep their sleeves down, have been told to keep the windows closed in their helicopters, and some of them have been given the potassium iodide pills that can ward off the effects of radiation.

Several of the helicopter crews have come back contaminated with radiation, but they were soaked down with soap and water, their clothes and uniforms were destroyed. And when they were retested, they were found to be all clean.

In addition, there are personnel, US military, civilians, and their families, living on bases there in Japan. As a precaution, they have been told to stay indoors as much as possible and to shut their external ventilation systems. Again, simply as a precaution. Chris Lawrence, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: So, American troops are doing what they can to protect themselves, but let's face it. It's a scary situation, and we don't know that it won't get worse. Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honore is here. He led the military response to Hurricane Katrina.

General, welcome.

LT. GENERAL RUSSEL HONORE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning. COSTELLO: This might be the most challenging hazardous humanitarian mission ever. So how comfortable would you be taking troops in?

HONORE: Well, those troops are well trained and well protected and the good thing is they have sensors and they have meters that tell them their level of exposure.

And on the aircraft carrier and the sister ships, they have the capability to treat and monitor, as well as clean and decontaminate between missions, Carol.

COSTELLO: But, General, they haven't really been through anything like this. I mean, do they drill for something like this before they go? I mean, there is no precedent for a situation like this.

HONORE: Well, absolutely. I mean, there's still a nuclear threat out there. We have the nuclear power carrier Reagan off the coast. The Navy is well trained in this. They have to deal with the nuclear technology on a daily basis because that aircraft carrier.

So there couldn't be a better force. The other great thing is that what the Navy brings to our Department of Defense and to the world is the ability to be able to operate offshore and the position itself where you can get the mission done without having to take space in the contaminated area.

You know we have about 38,000 military and 45,000 family members in Japan who are very worried right now.

COSTELLO: Exactly. And if I were a loved one and I'm like viewing this, you know, on my television set here in the United States and I hear the protection for these troops flying helicopter missions is to keep their windows closed and their sleeves rolled down and the protection for these people living on U.S. bases in Japan is to keep their windows closed and their ventilation systems closed, I would still be pretty scared.

HONORE: And, Carol, I can assure you from the information I have, the commanders on the ground are using every means to keep the families informed, but people are worried. You know, on one hand, the State Department has issued no travel to Japan, only essential travel to Japan.

The Department of Defense has said stop move. If you're en route, don't come. That sends a different mixed message to the families who should be worried, all worried, but the military is doing all they can to assure them that they are not at risk at this time if they take those precautions.

I will tell you to take a look and look at a line and if they start issuing iodide pills, then they will be close to a decision point when that decision would be made by the U.S. --

COSTELLO: They have already done that. They have suggested that some of our military personnel take these pills. Is there a point where it becomes so dangerous, where the risks are so great that the U.S. military will say we got to get out of here, we can't help you anymore?

HONORE: I would say when you start giving that to family members, that you will start seeing some evacuations starting to take place. That would be that point.

COSTELLO: That would be that point? So, in your opinion, the U.S. military should stay until what happens?

HONORE: Absolutely. The military, the uniform military has to stay until they accomplished a mission. You know, humanitarian missions are just as important as the war fight missions we do, Carol. They are one and the same.

When we get a mission, the objective is to accomplish it and take all of the precautions that we possibly can to keep our troops safe and out of harm's way.

COSTELLO: I guess, you know, as a person not in the military, obviously, I mean, when you go into the military you expect to be shot at, you expect bombs to go off, but do you expect to be possibly poisoned with radiation?

HONORE: Absolutely not, but we are trained for operating in a radiological exposed area. That's why you have the best military in the world and you pay all of the taxes you pay to support that 300 ship navy and those 350,000 troops you got in the army and the Air Force and the Navy. We are trained in that, we got the equipment, and they will do the right thing with the right information.

COSTELLO: General Honore, thank you for being with us this morning. We appreciate it.

HONORE: Good day.

COSTELLO: Experts say the crisis in Japan will rank among the costliest natural disasters on record. A researcher for Air Worldwide says it's clear the total cost will be far greater than the $125 billion in losses created by Hurricane Katrina along the U.S. Gulf in 2005.

As devastating as those numbers are the outpouring of help is heartwarming and it's just not every day Americans that are lending a hand so is corporate America. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange. So fill us in.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Carol. This is actually great news. You know, the Chamber of Commerce says as far as the companies that are on their radar, they're already pledging $51 million to help what is going on in Japan.

I'm talking about Goldman Sachs, GE, Disney, McDonalds, they are all giving cash. Other companies are donating services. Kraft, for instance, is sending food and it's even matching employee donations.

UPS is transporting supplies and personnel over to Japan and listen to this, major cell phone companies, they're offering free calls and text to Japan for a few weeks. This is especially good because texts are really important because they go through when calls do not.

Google, by the way, has online people finder in the works here. You know, many companies are also encouraging donations. Listen what Liberty Tax is doing. Liberty Tax is going to do your taxes for free, Carol, if you donate $50 to the Red Cross. Carol --

COSTELLO: That's why they dress up as the statue of liberty! Have you ever seen those guys advertising? Anyway that sounds really great, but I do understand that donations to Japan are low, if you compare it to donations for other disasters. So what is going on?

KOSIK: Well, you know what? Corporate donations are actually big, but it's the individual donations, Carol, to nonprofits are really lagging. You know, for the first four days after the earthquake in Japan, $25 million was donated.

Compare that to over $100 million after the earthquake in Haiti. Now experts say it's because of the difference between the two countries. Here is what one expert had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STACY PALMER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY: Japan is a very wealthy country, very well prepared to handle crises like this so people aren't responding quite as generously because the need isn't there yet, but it may well be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: You know, in this case, Carol, it may be that people sometimes want to wait to see exactly what is need before they start donating their money and their time, Carol.

COSTELLO: So finally, how are the markets looking today? We didn't have a great day yesterday so I'm wondering what will happen today.

KOSIK: You know what? Japan's Nikkei average rebounded at almost 6 percent. That was kind of a relief there. As far as U.S. markets, the sell-off continues. We're watching the Dow fall about 61 points. The Nasdaq off about nine points.

You know what? There's a lot on Wall Street's plate today. There are debt problems (inaudible) are propping up again. There's more unrest resurfacing in the Middle East not to mention, you know, the issues in Japan. We also got a weak U.S. housing report. A lot of dominos here on Wall Street to keep an eye on, Carol.

COSTELLO: Alison Kosik, thank you.

Rescue crews in Japan. The weather is making their mission even harder, snow and mud just adding to the misery. CNN is with a team of rescuers who had to overcome an obstacle course to get to the disaster zone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: Rescuers in Japan already face unthinkable challenges, but the weather is making their grim work even harder. CNN's Brian Todd is in the city of Kamaishi. So, Brian, tell us about getting into that city.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, getting in was treacherous. We had to go through the mountains and the roads were very icy. The weather turned, I wouldn't say suddenly, but it turned dramatically today.

Heavy snowfall came down most of the day and made the roads almost impassible in some sections and then when we got to this city, we found what we expected. It was devastated. The low-lying areas another inlet that came into this city were just crushed for blocks and square miles at a time.

The snow and the rain before it made for treacherous conditions on the ground but also on the houses, on the crushed houses, on the rubble, they kind of blanket the place and makes it very deceptive for the rescuers to step in certain areas.

It's a treacherous stepping in any condition. This made it even more dangerous. So they had to navigate through all of that. It was slow, rough going. We went in and out of these houses with them. The houses, of course, became more precarious too because the heavy snow on top - kind of fragile condition made it even more difficult. So it was very tough grind today. At the end of the day they pulled one body out and did not find any survivors.

COSTELLO: Brian, how long will U.S. rescue crews stay in Japan?

TODD: That is unclear, because there's a lot to be done. There are a lot of places that they have yet to search and a lot of places that have not really been, you know, seen or combed over by rescue teams.

But, you know, the chance of survival frankly are dwindling with each hour and we know the window for seeing the most people has pretty much passed. There are also some bureaucratic problems they have to work through every day and get permission every day from the Japanese every day to go to a certain area and coordinate that with certain teams.

I have to say that personally when I observe these guys' behaviors, they are getting more frustrated by it, but they know they have to grind on and keep going. The answer to your question is unclear, but they are determined to stay here every possible day that they can.

COSTELLO: Admire them so much. Brian Todd, thanks so much. Brian Todd reporting from Kamaishi, Japan.

We have been seeing and hearing a lot of damage reports from Japan's Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures or states, but there's another state hard hit by the disaster, Iwate, which weathered not only the quake and ensuing tsunami, but also a cataclysmic fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): This is here in Iwate Prefecture. After the earthquake and tsunami, a great fire broke out and central part of the city was devastated. In the city office, an emergency telephone line was established and there is long line of people waiting to call their families.

In the area where the fire broke out, we found one person. This is 65 years old, Katachi, a fisherman. On this day, he decided to come back to see where his house used to be. His wife and son were safe, but the house was destroyed.

This was the house where he lived for over 30 years. Not one photograph was saved. He says that everything has been burnt down, all memories and everything gone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Store shelves cleared of rice, milk, and other essentials. Neighborhood grocery stores stripped bare in Tokyo. Our CNN iReporters are capturing it all.

And back in the United States a trio of crashes on a Missouri highway leave lawmen jumping for safety. The close call that was caught on tape next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The feud was first led in Wisconsin but the bargaining rights controversy is beginning to burn cross country.

That's what it look like at the Tennessee state capital of Nashville where hundreds of public employees rally for better wages and bargaining rights while staring down state police. They were trying to stop demonstrators from disrupting government committee meetings. Seven in all were hauled off to jail.

In Ohio similar shows of pro-union supports. State workers faced off against Senate Bill Number 5 a measure that if approved would curve the collective bargaining rights of civil employees. Critics call it union busting.

And check out this close call on I-70 in St. Louis, police trying to get a handle on a post-accident traffic. They get their squad car. Oh, you see that there? I don't have to explain. In a replay if you look closely, you can see one of the officers jumping the median rail to safety as the cruiser goes spinning out of control. Ooh. Unbelievably, neither officer was hurt.

Store shelves in Tokyo empty and a CNN iReporter records it firsthand, the story in pictures just ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is really nothing here.

(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Since the earthquake and tsunami slammed into northern Japan, CNN iReporters have been capturing the images of devastation and survival.

James Wong had his camera rolling at the crowded Narita Airport outside of Tokyo today. People waited patiently in very long lines to get a flight out.

Store shelves stripped nearly bare. No rice, milk, or bread, but there were some items left. IReporter and student Christina Angela Ras shot this at Tokyo on Sunday. She was at the grocery store where she often shopped.

And as the world reaches out to Japan, one CNN iReporter encourages his fellow citizens to say "thank you for your support and prayers." He recorded it all from Tohoku, Japan.

We're following lots of developments of the crisis in Japan in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in first with Stan Grant in Tokyo.

STAN GRANT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: More aftershocks felt here in Tokyo and continuing radiation concerns from that stricken power plant. Traces of radioactive material found in Fukushima's water supply. We've got details at the top of the hour.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're exposed to radiation every single day, but how much is too much? And how can you tell?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dana Bash on Capitol Hill where lobbyists for the nuclear energy industry are scrambling here trying to reassure lawmakers who are watching the crisis in Japan and worried about nuclear power plants here in the U.S. I'll have more on that in the next hour.

COSTELLO: Plus, escaping Sendai. An American survivor struggles for days to get out of the disaster zone. Now finally, the young woman is on her way home, her sister tells us about the obstacles in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM.

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COSTELLO: All right.

We just got a hold of someone in Okinawa, Japan. He is Lieutenant Jeremy Croft (ph) he's with the Marines and he is here to talk -- actually he's in Japan in Okinawa to talk about the humanitarian efforts taking place in Japan. Hello, Lieutenant.

2ND LT. JEREMY CROFT, U.S. MARINE (via telephone): Hey, Carol, how are you?

COSTELLO: I'm good. But better question, how are you and how are, you know, our troops doing over there in Japan? CROFT: Well, we're doing very well, Carol. As you know, it is almost 11:00 at night here. So we're a bit under the weather, but we're excited about what we're doing in Japan here. First of all, I want to say that our thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people that have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami. It's definitely a tragic thing that's happened there and we're here to help in any way we can.

COSTELLO: Lieutenant Croft, there's a lot of people worried about our troops over in Japan because of this nuclear crisis that's going on. How do you guys and women feel about that?

CROFT: Well, I can't comment, unfortunately, on the specifics of the situation with the nuclear reactors. I do know that what we've been doing is -- mainly what we did today was we flew bottled water and the -- some chemical biological, radiological nuclear protective gear to the -- to basically the front lines today.

So --

(CROSS TALK)

COSTELLO: What -- what kind of -- what kind of protective gear are you talking about?

CROFT: Like I said, I -- I can't comment on the specifics of the nuclear situation. But we are -- we are helping with the general situation over there.

COSTELLO: Well, I'm just asking you that because we have heard that, you know, these Navy pilots were exposed to radiation. They -- they washed themselves down with soap and water and they were told to like keep the windows of their helicopters closed and -- and keep their sleeves rolled down.

So are you telling me that the military is sending extra protection for troops in this field closer to the nuclear plant?

CROFT: We don't have any specific information about that at this time. I'm sorry, there is -- there's going to be information forthcoming on that, and we will let you know as soon as that becomes available.

COSTELLO: And the other question I had. This is something that you guys don't face every day, the possibility of radiation poisoning. What is that like for you?

CROFT: What do you mean?

COSTELLO: I'd be scared.

CROFT: Well, we are -- we train for a -- for a wide variety of contingencies. So -- we're -- we go into there and we go into the situation there prepared to handle what we come into contact with. Again, I can't comment on the specifics of the nuclear situation there. But we are -- we are ready and prepared to deal with anything we come into contact with.

COSTELLO: How are the Japanese people receiving you guys?

CROFT: As far as I know, they are very grateful right now. We have received some -- some testimonies of their gratefulness. Some things they said to us so it's -- it's very refreshing to -- to be a part of that, to see that happen.

COSTELLO: Well, thank you so much for joining us this morning. And, you know, I just admire you all for your courage. Thank you so much. Lieutenant Croft -- Lieutenant Jeremy Croft with the Marines.

We just learned that Delta Airlines has donated $1 million to help the Japanese people. But overall, the level of support has been pretty reserved. A newspaper that reports on non-profit groups says Americans have donated about $46 million four days after the earthquake. Compare that to Haiti four days after the earthquake, more than three times that amount had come in. And four days after Hurricane Katrina, Americans had given more than $108 million to the Gulf Coast.

If you do want to donate money to the relief effort, just go to CNN.com/impact. There's a list of ways you can help out.