Tens of thousands of Japanese and foreign workers are racing with time to rescue survivors, including the injured, children and elderly, three days after the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and the massive tsunami that devastated the coastal areas of northeastern Japan.

The Japanese government has sent 100,000 troops to lead the aid effort. It has sent 120,000 blankets, 120,000 bottles of water and 110,000 liters of gasoline plus food to the affected areas.

Rescue operations are underway. Japan Self Defense Forces, firemen, and police from all over the country were mobilized to search survivors and dig out bodies.

"We are still focusing on searching the survivors," said Wataru Suzuki, a fireman from the fire department of Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture, saying it is hopelessly difficult as the missing people are too many.

The firemen used hand picks and chain saws to clear an indescribable jumble of broken timber, plastic sheets, roofs, sludge, twisted cars, tangled power-lines and household goods. Ambulances stand by and helicopters buzzed ahead.

A 15-strong Chinese international search and rescue team Monday morning set out to join the relief work in Oofunato, Iwate, a city severely damaged by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake Friday.

The Chinese team is one of the first overseas teams to join and help out the relief work in the city. Team leader Yin Guangfui said they have brought along life exploration device and some other equipment to help carrying out the rescue.

By Monday, food supplies were shipped to four shelters in Minamisanryuku, reaching at least 3,000 people over there.

However, electricity will take days to restore. From Iwate to Fukushima, power supplies were still limited to a small urban area. Telecommunications were impossible in Minamisanryuku, Kesennuma or other seriously-hit coastal areas. Cars queued for hours to get their gasoline refilled.