1.
TRAVEL SHOT ENTERING THE CITY OF NIIGATA PASSING BUILDING LEANING OVER
0.17

2.
SV PAN. DAMAGED BUILDINGS
0.25

3.
CU PAN HOLE IN THE ROAD TO TROOPS STANDING GUARD
0.34

4.
SV CARS PARTLY BURIED IN DEBRIS
0.38

5.
GV WRECKED BRIDGE
0.42

6.
GV LORRY IN RIVER AND WRECKAGE
0.50

7.
CU PAN WOMAN TO FLOODED STREET
0.58

8.
CU RESCUE WORKERS CLEARING RUBBLE FROM ROAD
1.03

9.
LV PEOPLE CLEARING WATER FROM BUILDING
1.08

10.
TV PAN FLOODED STREET TO SOLDIERS CLEARING MUD
1.16

11.
CU MAKING AND MUD BANK TO STOP FURTHER FLOODING.
1.27

12.
GV PAN.CROWDS THROUGH FLOODED STREET
1.35

13.
LV PAN. CROWDS QUEUE FOR DRINKING WATER
1.41

14.
SV CROWDS WALKING THROUGH STREET
1.47



Initials DS/V/AW/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TODAY (THURSDAY) ORDERED A TEAM OF 30 HEALTH OFFICERS INTO THE EARTHQUAKE-SHATTERED CITY OF NIIGATA IN CASE OF ANY OUTBREAK OF DISEASE FOLLOWING TUESDAY'S DISASTER IN WHICH 25 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES.

THE EARTHQUAKE, WHICH CAUSED DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN FOUR OF JAPAN'S NORTH-WESTERN PREFECTURES, STRUCK THE NIIGATA PREFECTURE THE HARDEST BLOW. MR KAKUEI TANAKA, JAPAN'S FINANCE MINISTER, VERY ROUGHLY ESTIMATED DAMAGE IN THE NIIGATA AREA AT 100 THOUSAND MILLION YEN (GBP100 MILLION STERLING).

MR TANAKA DECLARED THAT IT WOULD BE SOME TIME, HOWEVER, BEFORE DAMAGE IN OTHER PARTS OF NORTHERN JAPAN COULD BE ESTIMATED. BUT IT IS KNOWN THAT AT LEAST 10 THOUSAND BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN WRECKED AND ANOTHER 17 THOUSAND DAMAGED OR FLOODED.

IN NIIGATA, MEANWHILE, LIFE IS BEGINNING TO RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER THE STAGGERING DOUBLE BLOW OF THE 'QUAKE AND THE SUBSEQUENT OIL REFINERY AND CHEMICAL PLANT FIRES.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE HOPING THAT ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES WILL BE RESTORED TOMORROW (FRIDAY), ALTHOUGH DRINKING WATER IS STILL SCARCE AND A HUGE FLEET OF VEHICLE HAS BEEN IMPRESSED INTO SERVICE TO BRING IT INTO THE CITY FOR DISTRIBUTION.

IN THE MEANTIME, SOCIAL WORKERS AND MEMBERS OF THE DEFENCE FORCES ARE COMBING IN A MASSIVE EFFORT TO SHELTER AND FEED THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS -- VICTIMS OF THE WORST EARTHQUAKE TO HIT JAPAN SINCE THE DISASTROUS KANTO SHOCK OF 1923.