Here is information on Japan.
Now a week after a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, new information is slowly surfacing about the equine population in the areas heavily damaged by the natural disasters.Currently, we still have intermittent earthquakes elsewhere in northeastern Japan, and above all, what is happening now. In Fukushima nuclear power plants is still unclear--so indeed, everyone in our horse industry is still tensed up," said Fumiaki Mizobe, DVM, of the Japan Racing Association.
Mizobe explained that although no horses or farms on the island of Hokkaido suffered major damage from the earthquake or tsunami, some horses have been moved further inland to assure their safety. Additionally, he added, none of the training farms in Miyagi, Fukushima, and Iwate regions reported injuries to their horses; however, some suffered structural damage to their facilities.
"On account of the radiation leak caused by the explosions at Fukushima nuclear power plant. Some of the training farms decided to move their horses to other areas (for safety reasons)," Mizobe noted. He added that several riding clubs in the Fukushima prefecture evacuated their horses from the area to comply with Japanese government evacuation instructions. In connection with the radiation leaks at the Fukushima nuclear plant.He also noted that most of the training and breeding farms have enough stockpiled feed for their horses at present.
However, news from the Miyagi prefecture--one of the worse-hit regions--is not as positive. Mizobi explained that three riding clubs in the region were "submerged in the tsunami."
"Thirty-three riding horses belonging to these riding clubs were rescued," he noted. "But four horses were reported dead, and at least 18 horses were reported missing." 'We are very relieved that there have been no reports of any injuries to our employees,' said Ken Joyce, Amkor's president and chief executive officer. 'We express our sympathies to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami, as well as to our Japanese colleagues and the nation as a whole.' The Kitakami facility is currently closed due to power supply interruptions and plans are underway to restore production capabilities at the site when power, gas and water supplies, and transportation systems are stabilized. The Kitakami facility is Amkor's smallest operation in both units and revenue, generating approximately $10 million to $11 million of monthly sales prior to the earthquake.
The Kitakami facility only provides services to a few Japan-based customers. We are working closely with these customers to assess and support their requirements in light of the earthquake's impact on their operations.Japan is a major supplier of semiconductors, silicon wafers, specialty chemicals, substrates, equipment and other supplies to the electronics industry, and the industry is currently evaluating the potential effect of the earthquake on the overall supply chain for electronics. Since the earthquake, we have been in close communication with our customers, suppliers and OEMs to analyze the situation and evaluate alternative sources of supply where appropriate. Like many companies in the semiconductor industry supply chain, we operate with multiple suppliers from different geographic regions. This diversification is intended to help mitigate any potential disruptions from events such as these. However, it is too early to comment on the broader impact the earthquake may have on the electronics industry and our business and operations.
About Amkor Amkor is a leading provider of semiconductor assembly and test services to semiconductor companies and electronics OEMs. More information on Amkor is available from the company's SEC filings and on Amkor's website: www.amkor.com.
The Japanese "shindo" scale for measuring earthquakes is more commonly used in Japan than the Richter scale to describe earthquakes. Shindo refers to the intensity of an earthquake at a given location, i.e. what people actually feel at a given location, while the Richter scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake, i.e. the energy an earthquake releases at the epicenter. The shindo scale ranges from shindo one, a slight earthquake felt only by people who are not moving, to shindo seven, a severe earthquake. Shindo two to four are still minor earthquakes that do not cause damage, while objects start to fall at shindo five, and heavier damage occurs at shindo six and seven.Every household should keep a survival kit with a flashlight, a radio, a first aid kit and enough food and water to last for a few days.
Avoid placing heavy objects in places where they could easily fall during an earthquake and cause injury or block exits. Have a fire extinguisher. Familiarize yourself with the designated evacuation area in your neighborhood.
Falling objects, toppling furniture and panic present the greatest dangers during an earthquake. Try to protect yourself under a table or doorway. Do not run outside, and try to remain as calm as possible. If you are in the streets, try to find protection from glass and other objects that may fall from surrounding buildings. After a strong earthquake, turn off ovens, stoves and the main gas valve.
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