Earthquake

Yesterday, while taking a break from reading Cracked.com, I got a message from someone on facebook. They hoped that I was alright, and to message them back when I could. At first, I thought it was because I had just changed my privacy settings to super high, and that they thought I was feeling down. At the same time, I decided to check twitter, where I read that there had been a massive earthquake in the Tohoku region of Japan.

At around quarter to three in the afternoon yesterday, there was an earthquake off the coast of Sendai, Miyagi prefecture. Initial estimates of its magnitude were around 7 according to the United States Geological Survey, but it was later revised several times, to its current magnitude of 9. On the Japanese Meteorlogical Agency's scale, it is magnitude 7, which is the highest on the scale. It is the strongest earthquake to have hit Japan since records have been kept, and it ranks as the fifth largest earthquake in the world. Because of the earthquake, there have been multiple tsunami located in the Tohoku area. Looking at pictures of the affected areas, it is frightening. Waves crawling up land and totally demolishing houses, boats, and roadways, tossing cars aside as if they were toys. The entire Sendai Airport is submerged, complicating connecting flights to Narita and Haneda Airport. Although the epicenter of the earthquake was located off the coast of Sendai, not only the Tohoku Region, but also the Kanto Area, has been affected. In Chiba Prefecture, there was an oil refinery that ignited and blazed out of control. Of all the pictures I have seen, that scene is the most frightening I have seen. A huge red fireball burns, with black smoke billowing away. Fire fighters were unable to control the blaze for a long time, because it was simply too hot to approach.


The oil refinery in Chiba on fire.

According to NHK, the death toll is (as of 4:27 PM 12 March) around a thousand people dead, with hundreds more missing. Most casualties are because of the tsunami which have been repeatedly pouding the coastline. But there have been reports of people dying because they fell or had things fall on them during the shaking. Hundreds of people have been driven from their homes, and many are without power and running water.

Actually being in Japan while this is all going on, makes it a whole lot scarier for me, than it would be if I was in Hawaii. I mean, I'd still feel bad, but right now, I have friends in Tohoku and Tokyo. Thankfully, they are safe, but to be honest, I dont know how I would have handled it if they were hurt (or worse). From what they've posted on facebook, they're without power and inconvenienced, but alive and unhurt. Since I learned of this whole thing, I've been watching the live stream from NHK World's website. Also, I've been opening Twitter a lot more often, to see what the BBC or NYT is reporting, as well as translating NHK's tweets. Although it's not really anything, I somehow feel that this is my small part in helping. I would like to donate money to the Red Cross, by texting that 90999 number, but it doesnt work in Japan.

I am thankful to report that here in Hiroshima, we have not been affected at all by this terrible disaster. But I cannot help but feel sad at the pain the people of Tohoku are feeling. So many people are dead, and those who are alive have lost so much. But humans are resiliant, none more so than the Japanese. They are strong, and will survive this tradgedy.