Japanese earthquake

[Lily Powers]

^^Those guys were stupid trying to secure their boats as the tsunami hit CA harbors.

They were more unlucky than stupid. The upper harbor has maybe 200 boats of all sizes and many people live on their boats. When the alarm went out to evacuate, the people who live there hit the docks running and made it out safely, but a few of the docks and some vessels were totally obliterated.

 

[LaMedicine]

Both daizawaguy and I are in Tokyo, which is pretty much safe for now, and most things are going on as normal, save for electricity.
We'll be having planned black outs of three hours or so, starting tomorrow, to conserve electricity.
With major nuclear power plants knocked out along with a number of other power plants, once the work week starts, there is expected an up to 25% lack of electricity, and this could go on for 4-6 weeks.
Oh, and the nuclear power plant that's in a precarious situation is worrysome, but so far, they seem to be managing to control the situation as of the moment.

The extent of the quake far exceeded our imagination and the projections made from past experiences.
The epicenter was known to be a possible origin of a large earthquake in the near future, and plans were already in the works, but no one had ever imagined that it would be as bad as this, one of the worst in human history.
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced their fiinal analysis of the quake today.
The fault line is spread over more than 300 miles, north-south, and is 125 miles wide. It came in 3 waves, starting in the north and traveling down south, all three phases lasting 1 min 40 secs each. I had felt at the time that the quake lasted about 5 minutes, but thought it probably was actually 2-3 mins at most, because we tend to think things going on longer than actually is, but in this case, my instinct was quite correct. I have experienced before the level of strength of the quake as felt in Tokyo (after all, we are several hundred miles removed from the epicenter, so the quaking was much less than the coast closest to it), that wasn't scary, but the length of the time it continued to rock'n'roll sure was.

Extensive land subsidence took place as well, over 2' at the worst places, which added to the force of the tsunamis, and has left large areas still underwater, and there is no telling when, if ever, the land can be recovered. This has left many many people stranded in isolated places.
The priority now is to get the them out of the isolated areas, and to dispense supplies like water, food and blankets to the evacuees.
As just about all the roads and railways in the affected areas are destroyed, the isolated areas are accessible only by air--choppers are air lifting the people-- though boats can finally be used as well, now that the tsunami watch has been lifted.

We've got a long ways to go. Much much more than the Hanshin-Awaji (Kobe) quake of 1995. It's going to be a true test of national integrity and strength and will, but I am confident that some how, we can pull through, with the help of all our friends.

 

[150719541]

The people wich have lived earthquakes like in México in 1985 where many people die, know what this is horrendous, We wish wich all Japanese soon will be fine.

 

[Tomasso]

The Nikkei is reacting per schedule.

 

[Tomasso]

Operation Tomodachi

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-12/...rce-japanese-authorities-helicopters?_s=PM:US

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan arrived off the coast of Japan Sunday to support Japanese forces in disaster relief operations

 

[Tomasso]

 

[DanielJones]

LaMedicine, thanks for keeping us updated from your vantage point, and we're glad that you're alight. Our thoughts are with you all over there and we wish you all a speedy recovery from this disaster. Keep safe and the family close.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Romy Overdorp]

My thoughts go out to everyone in Japan, it's a terrible thing that happened. Nature can be so cruel

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

I've been following this and trying to see as many images as I could and all I can say is wow...

It is good to hear you are both ok.

 

[Miss 1929]

So glad to hear our Japanese Loungers are safe. There will be a tremendous effort to restore the country, but the immediate needs of thousands are water, food, shelter, clothing. Please give to the Japanese Red Cross! Any amount will help.

 

[Stray Cat]

My heart bleeds for what has happened to people of Japan.
All I can say: HANG ON!
My prayer goes to all of them!!

 

[sheeplady]

The news all today has discussed the nuclear power plant issues. I hope that the Japanese people close to the places in question are able to stay shielded in their homes from the radiation. (And that the radiation does not impact health).

I am glad that our fellow FLers are safe. Our thoughts are with you!

 

[dnjan]

before and after pictures

These before and after images go beyond words.

 

[Berlin]

My heart goes out to Japan.
This is absolutely terrible.

 

[Effingham]

Still no word from the Sendai friends. REALLY worrying.

Sigh.

It's been years since I lived there, but.... damn.

 

[MikeBravo]

There is a company in my city called "Nippon Couriers". On my way to work this morning I saw two of their vans parked by the side of the road and three men sitting there talking to each other (and yes, they were Japanese in appearance).

It struck me how hard it must be a long way from home, possibly not knowing how ones family and loved ones are and not being able to do anything to help.

 

[LaMedicine]

Here's a comprehensive rundown on what's the issue about the Fukushima power plant.
Factbox: What is happening inside Japan's nuclear reactors?

Yes, the nuclear power plant issue is very very serious, and very very difficult to control. Everyone concerned is working hard disregarding the risks to their own health, and we are grateful for that. We can only watch and pray that they wil be able to stabilize the situation soon.
It isn't that the safety measures were lightly taken, there were 3 fold, 4 fold safety measures in effect. It was not the quake itself that took out all those measures, it was the tsunami. The power plant was prepared for tsunami as well as quakes, but the limit was 5 meter (15') waves, not the 10+meter (30'+) waves that apparently hit some places. (We know this, because there were areas that were almost completely wiped out, where they had a double row of 30' sea walls.) These waves took out the auxilary safety measures--the electricity circuits were fried by the sea water, the auxilary fuel tank for the back up generators for the cooling system were carried away.
One of the pics in dnjan's link shows the particular plant. You can see that just about everything that used to be situated in front of the buildings housing the generators are gone, and debris littered all over the plant site.
No one imagined a catastrophe of this scale.
Some of those arial pics bring up thoughts of Atlantis.

So far, the radiation is still not high enough to truly fear health effects, save for the very immediate area, but for precaution, everyone is being evacuated within the 20km(12.5 mile) radius, plus stay inside warning issued for the 20-30km radius.

The afteshocks are well, sometimes scary--I find myself sensitive to how long they last as quakes usually last only 15-20 secs, but this one lasted 5 minutes --but we'll have to live with it for a while. A few pretty large quakes have occured in unrelated areas, but still close enough to be felt in Tokyo, but there's no telling whether or not they were triggered by the Tohoku-Kanto quake, but what happens happen, we can't stop nature, so we live with it.

The Kanto area is going through scheduled blackouts, but 3 hours a day is nothing compared to what the people in the disaster area have to endure.
My car is low on gas, and at the moment, there is a shortage of gas, but that's due to some people stocking up, and the the logistics still disrupted along with the priority being the disaster area, and not due to the absolute shortage of oil, so that should be back to normal in a week or two at most. In the meanwhile, the trains are operating, though at a slower rate than usual, but we still have means to get around, and a couple of weeks of commuting to work by train rather than driving (it's a 15-20 min longer commute by train for me) for a couple of weeks is nothing compared to those living in the disaster area have to endure.

Anyway, we all were born here. This is a beautiful country as is, and we love the land and the nature, the four seasons, and are grateful for the blessings they give us. It will take time and a lot of effort, but I am sure we will recover and become stronger and wiser for this.

 

[LaMedicine]

Tsunami

It was just in the news that the height of the tsunami wave caluclated from the damaged buildings was 45' (15m) , and that there could have been places wher it was as high as 60' (20m) :eeek:
Survivors have reported that the sea engulfed up to the 4th floor of a 5 floor building in a matter of minutes :eeek:

 

[Atticus Finch]

LaMedicine,

I once lost my entire home and belongings to a natural disaster, a hurricane. But I lost only property…just things. I am saddened and humbled by the magnitude of this disaster and by how much more than just property your fellow countrymen have lost. My prayers and thoughts will continue to be with you.

AF

 

[LaMedicine]

Atticus Finch, still, loss of personal things that are filled with memories--photographs, keepsakes, mementos-- are devastating.
It must have hurt very very much.