Students here in desperate bid to contact families

TWO Japanese students studying English here were trying desperately to contact their loved ones last night.

Saki Takemoto, 21, and Chikako Kinoshita, 20, both managed to speak by phone to relatives early yesterday who told them the monster earthquake was the largest in living memory.

They were assured that everyone is safe. But they have yet to speak to their parents. Phone lines are down and text messages are not getting through.