Japan Earthquake and ensuing Tsunamis

Konata

I know that this isn't Anime & Manga related, but since there is no Japanese culture forum yet, and I know most of us care a great deal about Japan, I'm making an exception.

5th worst earthquake in the world since 1900 hit Japan this afternoon (early morning our time). The epicentre was located off the North eastern coast with Sendai being the worst affected location. Tokyo is described as "paralyzed" with massive power outages and public transport haltages. A dozen aftershocks of over 5.9 magnitude have already occurred. 18 people confirmed dead with the toll set to rise drastically.

Massive tsumani waves have hit the North Eastern coast of Japan and the entire Pacific Ocean basin is on tsunami warning. In the next few hours, Taiwan, the Philippines, Hawaii, New Zealand, even the west coast of America will all be hit with waves.

Let's all hope that everyone is safe, particularly the boardsies who are currently in Japan.

rallyschool

our thoughts and prayers are with all in Japan and hope that everyone keeps safe x

ztoical

Just spoke to my friends in Kyoto and thankfully they are all ok. Three others were in Toyko for the week but they've heard from them and they are ok...we need a relieved smilie

Konata

Glad to hear that ztoical

Varik

Japan has its own scale for earthquakes and as this was 8.9.

From someone i know that's about 300km south of the centre, not much damage was done there except from some falling bottles and power/phone lines being messed up. The building standards in relation to protection against earthquakes are very high in Japan, even if their houses lack in other ways.

Any tsumani that hit will probably be fare more dangerous to coastal areas than the initial earthquake.

With phones down and the cell networks getting to much voice traffic, twitter came to the rescue again.


The rest of Japan seems mostly fine but Sendai really did get a far worse outcome, Chiba’s oil refinery was hit hard and the Tokyo Tower is a bit bent now.

cherryghost

Waiting for contact from a friend who's teaching English in North-East Japan

gearoidof

Pretty terrible, but this is as good a time as any to watch Tokyo Magnitude 8.0!

Azure_sky

Terrible news. If anyone wants to keep abreast of developements you can watch live coverage from here.
http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

If you want to leave messages for friends or family in Japan people finder seems to be the official place.

http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=ja

Bryano11

So sad watching people in Japan running for theyre lives really makes you fell how lucky we are.

Puts all the snow we had into perspective!

God help them:(

hideki133

I have been posting on every form I could find today.
I have family that live in the Nanakodai Station area and i have not been able to find out if they are ok because the phones are down. If anyone has any information about what is happening in the area please reply to this post.

Konata

hideki133 wrote: »

I have been posting on every form I could find today.
I have family that live in the Nanakodai Station area and i have not been able to find out if they are ok because the phones are down. If anyone has any information about what is happening in the area please reply to this post.

Hey there.

According to RTE:

"The Department of Foreign Affairs says concerned relatives of Irish citizens should contact it on 01-4082000.
They can also register details of Irish people in Japan on the website www.dfa.ie"

So try that I guess.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you that your family are okay.

Butterscotch

I think it is great Konata that you put this thread up. I heard about this disaster earlier and watched some coverage. My heart goes out to the people and I pray that people's relatives and the Japanese are doing ok. I also pray that the poorer countries are going to be ok too as they will be worse then Japan. I hope they get coverage too. It is really is horrible.

I know most of us care a great deal about Japan, I'm making an exception.

I know I never been to Japan but I feel some connection there, Japanese culture always had a great influence on me while growing up so it is hurting me deep, I must admit. I pray that everyone will be ok.

Konata

Butterscotch wrote: »

I know I never been to Japan but I feel some connection there, Japanese culture always had a great influence on me while growing up so it is hurting me deep, I must admit. I pray that everyone will be ok.

And I feel exactly the same. I haven't been to Japan yet but I know that my future is going to be vastly involved with the country and, like you, I feel a connection with the country even now. It really is heartbreaking to see such devastation and I keep my fingers crossed that recovery efforts will be as successful as possible.

Butterscotch

Konata wrote: »

And I feel exactly the same. I haven't been to Japan yet but I know that my future is going to be vastly involved with the country and, like you, I feel a connection with the country even now. It really is heartbreaking to see such devastation and I keep my fingers crossed that recovery efforts will be as successful as possible.

It is good to know other people feel that way, I questioned at times was I the only one. I guess it's normal.:) This disaster is really a shock, there are so many of them at late.

Varik

entered some random Japanese surnames in the Google people finder and the amount of missing or being sought is huge, but it's nice to see some good reports.

Also some ****ing jerks are giving false reports, "i am dead" so funny isn't it:mad:. If someone reports they are missing or dead then you only see that at the search you can't see the message or source until open the posting.

thefinalstage

There is a nuclear power plant without cooling rods in the Fukushima prefecture. Looks like the Tsunami damaged the building.....

It's only a light water reactor though so no Chernobyl type explosion is possible.

Bottleopener

Thoughts are with all the people of Japan. The footage being circulated is horrific. Hopefully this nuclear problem can be controlled and doesn't escalate.

Faylum

Wow you echoed what i was thinking with this post. Honestly out of all the countries for this to happen to i am really sad that it happened to Japan. They have a lovely culture and a kind nature. Also they make great anime and have inspiring imagination.

I wish them all the best in their struggle ahead!

Missiechan

I was in Holland when I found out about this, I have a friend in Japan and the plane ride back was really tense, I had no idea if she and her family were okay or not. Thankfully they were pretty far away from the epicentre.

I suppose if we look on the bright side, every otaku across the globe will be pooling money and resources into fixing the damage done.

Varik

This has had a bigger impact that those directly or closely affected from the actual disaster, with tens of thousands of people have taken part in an anti-nuclear demonstration in southern Germany. The demonstration had been planned for some time, but after the news of Japan's nuclear emergency, organisers were overwhelmed by crowds of around 50,000 people who turned up.

The demonstrators, who stretched in a 45km chain from Neckarwestheim power plant to the city of Stuttgart, were demanding that the German government move away from nuclear power.

Atavan-Halen

Konata wrote: »

And I feel exactly the same. I haven't been to Japan yet but I know that my future is going to be vastly involved with the country and, like you, I feel a connection with the country even now. It really is heartbreaking to see such devastation and I keep my fingers crossed that recovery efforts will be as successful as possible.

Butterscotch wrote: »

I know I never been to Japan but I feel some connection there, Japanese culture always had a great influence on me while growing up so it is hurting me deep, I must admit. I pray that everyone will be ok.

I couldn't agree more. Japan is also a place where I see my future even though I've never been there. Was devastated when I found out what had happened and am still in disbelief as events are unfolding. It's a bit weird feeling so emotional about a place you've never been to but that's just the way I feel! Such a tragedy and I'm hoping and praying for all those still awaiting news about relatives and all those directly and indirectly affected.

bananaface

my partner is over in japan, near sendai. safe for now but supplies are low. trying to get out and home but dfa have been useless when we call them. feel so stuck and helpless

Konata

Really sorry to hear that bananaface Thank God they're okay though. Here's hoping the situation improves.

cherryghost

Relief! Got an email from my friend this morning Power was down til late last night. His place wasn't affected at all, he was about another 20 miles inland thank god, but there was a few damaged buildings he said.

Faylum

Konata wrote: »

Thank God they're okay though.

Oh and thank god their entire country is in economic distress?!

I'm aware 'thank god' is a phrase but i am really sick and tired of people saying inappropriate things during such terrible natural devastation and destruction.

And i seriously don't think a protest for an anti nuclear world is something that should be happening as the japanese people are suffering, sorry, but i just don't think protesting nuclear energy, when a country is facing even more devastation is inhumane!

If you can have 50,000 people support something so inconsiderate perhaps you can organize a charity to help impoverished people around the globe, because considering the bull**** reasons you have for being anti nuclear, consider this, there is more humans killed by war, drugs, addictions, politics, accidents and so on each year than there are from exploiting nuclear energy which is a cheap method to creating massive amounts of energy.

Pointing out the Japanese tragedy now, AS IT IS HAPPENING, to illustrate your own agenda is a disgusting maneuver. Their nuclear reactors are faltering due to a giant earthquake and tsunami, lets see how any other energy creating factory survives them odds.

Stop trying to alert people to the dangers of nuclear energy during this catastrophe, you inconsiderate smug asshole!

Konata

Faylum, I'm not sure exactly who you're addressing in your above post regarding the nuclear protesting, but this isn't really the place for an argument. This is merely a condolences thread. Please move to After Hours if you would like to discuss other aspects of the disaster.

Faylum wrote: »

Oh and thank god their entire country is in economic distress?!

I said no such thing. I was merely expressing to bananaface, that I was glad his/her partner was safe for the moment despite the distressing situation they've been in. I really don't think that's an inappropriate thing to say in the circumstances.

ztoical

Faylum wrote: »

Stop trying to alert people to the dangers of nuclear energy during this catastrophe, you inconsiderate smug asshole!

Not going to start a row about nuclear power rights and wrongs on this thread but why did you direct that at Konata's quote, they didn't make any mention of nuclear protests. And frankly there is far worse being said about the catastrophe then people using it to bring attention to issues with the use of nuclear power.

gearoidof

The nuclear protest had been planned for months.

But anyway, consider that your post isn't helping the Japanese either!

Though obviously, I agree with you. I can't be the only one terrified of a wind turbine exploding

Varik

Don't think this helps anyone here(unless your reading for the US) but AT&T which is one of the American largest cell/home phone networks are making calls to Japan free for the next month so people can get in contact with family/friends.

Cy_Revenant

All my friends living in Japan are safe, if upset. I'm glad.

On the Nuclear plants.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/14/fukushiima_analysis/

tl;dr The fact that the ageing nuclear plants held up to a Magnitude 8.9 quake and a 10 metre tsunami is a ringing endorsement of the industry's safety measures.

Dude111

Konata wrote:

I know that this isn't Anime & Manga related, but since there is no Japanese culture forum yet, and I know most of us care a great deal about Japan, I'm making an exception.

Thank you.....

I love Japan and i am very sad by what happend there