Japanese earthquake

[Smithy]

I just wanted to wish our Japanese members all the best and hope they are OK after the horrendous earthquake and tsunami which hit just over an hour ago.

 

[scotrace]

Indeed. LaMedicine, please let us know you are alright?

 

[HungaryTom]

God bless all Japanese people!!!!

 

[LaMedicine]

The worst rocker in the past 150 years.
Long pitching and rolling for what seemed to go on for several minutes, though probably 2-3 minutes at most.
Our staff was very quick and efficient in securing all the emergency exits and in calming our patients. A TV in a lobby fell, as did a shelf in one of the nurse stations, but other than that, we were fine.

3 consecutive quakes within half an hour, actually. The first two were within a few minutes of each other, so it was like one consecutive quake that lasted what seemed like 4-5 minutes. Then another one several minutes later. Getting some strong aftershocks even now.

Tsunami over 10-12' along the northern coastline, and warnings along all the coast including Okinawa. Already extensive flooding, and some fires, building damages in cities closer to the coast and the epicenter than us in Tokyo, and a fire in at an oil refinery. Though, at a glance, the damages to buildings do not seem as bad as with the 1995 Hanshin-Awaji (Kobe) quake. The fault line of the Kobe quake was directly underneath, whereas with this one, the epicenter looks like it's 40-50 or so miles off the coast.
Several casualities have been reported, though it's too early for the final count.

Land phone lines are intact, but voice cell phone contact is out, though texting is good.
Electricity it out in many areas (fortunately, we're good.)
Elevators stopped, trains and highways stopped, traffic jam in the streets etc etc, which means I can't read the time what the usual 30 minute drive home is going to take. Both my husband and our younger daughter work within a on hour walk from our home, but our elder daughter works mid city, about 12 miles from home. She maybe stuck overnight at her workplace.

Damages to buildings in Tokyo seem to be sporadic, but I dread going home and opening the door--quite the possibility of having to clean up stuff that had ended up thrown around. Ouch

daizawaguy, I hope you're okay. Thinking that maybe you are stuck in your office, since it was just announced that the trains will be stopped for the rest of today.

I am booting out now, and head home.

 

[The Good]

God bless all Japanese people!!!!

Yes, God bless them indeed.

LaMedicine, thank you for posting, I hope that everything is fine for you and your family.

 

[Puzzicato]

Terrifying - I am glad you are alright LaMedicine and I hope your elder daughter gets home soon.

 

[Tomasso]

Thank God LaMed is OK!

Now we need dguy to check in.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Glad that you are OK LaMedicine!
HD

 

[Dan'l]

Best wishes for all of Japan at this time.

 

[Machine Ager]

Prayers and best wishes to all in Japan, and all areas affected by Tsunami.... any word on Hawaii?

 

[Smithy]

Good to hear you are OK LaMedicine.

My family back home in NZ survived the Christchurch earthquake, although their lives are turned upside down now so I know what you're going through.

Look after yourself, the shock hit my sister a week after their quake (after narrowly being crushed in her office block) so you'll have some tough days ahead.

All the very best and we're thinking of you down this way. Japan was so kind in sending search and rescue crews for the Christchurch earthquake and I am sure NZ will be repaying the favour.

All the very best in these tough times.

 

[daizawaguy]

Many thanks! I work on the 39 floor and it was scary. People were hanging on to the walls to keep upright...I got out the building, but took an hour. Went back briefly before heading home...everyone was on the streets and walking home - no taxis or busses were moving - stuck in traffic jams. Took me 3 hours but back. Little damage here, but taken precautions - car full of gas and parked outside (winter here), food, and money, water etc in a bag...not going to sleep well tonight. Many small aftershocks. Many thanks everyone...great community...I appreciate it! Cheers

(Bartender Note: I copied this from another thread. Trying to keep everyone informed - scotrace)

 

[Mocheman]

Glad fellow loungers are okay.

New York Times has posted images of the event.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/11/world/asia/20110311_japan.html?ref=asia#1

 

[Chasseur]

Glad to hear you two are both alright. Best wishes and prayers for you both and the rest of the people of Japan.

 

[LaMedicine]

I hear the tsunami hit Hawai'i too, I hope no damages there.
It has turned out that the waves were much higher than first forecast, so, up to 24-30'. It seems that a lot of the analysers are broken at the moment because the waves were much higher than the set limit for the instruments. The water traveled over 6 miles inland in some places.

An 11 mile drive took me 3 1/2 hours to get home. Most of the trains have started moving again, so our older gal was able to catch a train after walking about 3 miles.

 

[Feraud]

Update -

– 17 mins ago
TOKYO (Reuters) – A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 struck northwestern Japan on Saturday after a massive quake hit northeastern Japan, NHK reported.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110311/ts_nm/us_japan_quake_niigata

 

[I Adore Film Noir]

Prayers and best wishes to all in Japan, and all areas affected by Tsunami.... any word on Hawaii?

I'll join you in prayers and best wishes. On another blog someone posted that their friend in Oahu said no damage but Kona in Hawaii did sustain some damage.

 

[subject101]

Hey LaMedicine;

I have friends in the Yokohama area and I couldn't contact them at all. Is this city ok?

 

[rue]

Prayers and thoughts.....

 

[martinsantos]

Best wishes to Japan's people, and everything can be well again soon...