Obama heads on Asia tour, visits US disaster site

OSO: After meeting with survivors of a deadly landslide near Seattle, President Barack Obama left Tuesday on a weeklong tour of Asia in what the White House has called a "rebalancing" eastward of US foreign policy.

Obama left Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C. aboard Air Force One, and then made a stopover in Washington state to visit the scene of the landslide a month ago in Oso, some 95 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Seattle.

"There´s still families who are searching for loved ones, families who have lost everything, it´s going to be a difficult road ahead for them," the US president said after surveying damage from the disaster which buried two dozen homes and claimed more than 40 lives.

"I want to come here just to let you know that the country is thinking about all of you," Obama added, pledging that, with recovery operations still under way: "We´re not going anywhere. We´ll be here as long as it takes."

From there, the president´s itinerary was to take him to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The visit is Obama´s fifth to the region during his presidency.

During his trip, Obama will attempt to make progress in dragged-out negotiations over the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, and reassure potential partners that he can get it endorsed by a reluctant Congress.

Senior US officials have said both Japanese and US trade officials have been working to narrow gaps on market access in the auto and agricultural sectors that have slowed broader TPP talks.

In Seoul, Obama will hold talks with South Korean President Park Geun-Hye that focus on North Korea´s belligerence. The US president will also attempt to ease tensions between Seoul and Tokyo.