Japan Earthquake and Tsunami!

[thirteen]

Thirteen, your family members are ok?

my nephew in Tokyo is fine but still shaken...

my dad evacuated safely but they are still under the warning. read that a 9 foot wave hit Lahaina Harbor, reaching the second story of restaurants on Front Street (like Cheeseburger in Paradise, for those that know the area). my dad's house is right on the beach further down Front Street so i'm still a little nervous.

still, my god, it is nothing at all like what hit Japan! the more i see of the initial tsunami, the more unreal it seems... my heart just goes out to all those people. they never stood a chance

 

[Met de Versnelling]

Magnitude of 8.9! that is huge.

Best wishes for the people of Japan.

6th largest since records began in 1900.

Second the best wishes, someone i knows brothers out there visiting family, no news yet

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

'...' read that a 9 foot wave hit Lahaina Harbor, reaching the second story of restaurants on Front Street '...'

That's not good news for places like Kiribati. I think there might be some impoverished low lying Pacific countries that will need some urgent media attention and help after this.

 

[The Hitch]

Not to play down the tragedy, but i think that the low death toll estimates ive heard so far (even at this early stage) is a surprise. Especially since when i first heard there was a 8.9 earthquake in Japan and saw a city in flames i thought it had hit tokyo centre.

the way the richter scale works (i think, though correct me if im wrong) every number is a MANY TIMES MORE powerful than the previous one.


Consider that the the Kobe earthquake which i still hear people talking about was 7.0. The 1923 earthquake which i have heard horror tales about was 7.9.

8.9 is just huge. It is powerful enough to take down the most earthquake "proof" of buildings. A bit closer to Tokyo and the casualties could have been into the hundreds of thousands.

I also think that Japan is perhaps the country most able to deal with such a thing. They are good at preparing for these things. They say its not too long till the Persian Gulf has an earthquake and Iran is in no position to handle that.

This is unfortunately a story that just keeps repeating itself. In the last few years of the top of my head Laquilla, Burma, a absolutely horrible one in ****stan during the winter, China, Indonesia, hundreds of thousands dead in Haiti, Chile, Australia, Colombia, New Zealand.

The thing that often depresses me most is the animals. Ive seen what often happens to them (always ignored by the media) and seeing it wasnt any kind of fun.

 

[Escarabajo]

Not to play down the tragedy, but i think that the low death toll estimates ive heard so far (even at this early stage) is a surprise. Especially since when i first heard there was a 8.9 earthquake in Japan and saw a city in flames i thought it had hit tokyo centre.

the way the richter scale works (i think, though correct me if im wrong) every number is a MANY TIMES MORE powerful than the previous one.


Consider that the the Kobe earthquake which i still hear people talking about was 7.0. The 1923 earthquake which i have heard horror tales about was 7.9.

8.9 is just huge. It is powerful enough to take down the most earthquake "proof" of buildings. A bit closer to Tokyo and the casualties could have been into the hundreds of thousands.

....

This morning I had a table where it explains better but I don't know how to paste it. But when I saw the scale I was shocked by the magnitude. That was really huge. here:

 

[thirteen]

The thing that often depresses me most is the animals. Ive seen what often happens to them (always ignored by the media) and seeing it wasnt any kind of fun.

oh dear, i think i may adore you

 

[auscyclefan94]

2011 has been the year of Natural Disasters and revolution.
This tsunami/earthquake is so sad...

 

[thirteen]

2011 has been the year of Natural Disasters and revolution.
This tsunami/earthquake is so sad...

and it is getting worse with the light of day

 

[The Hitch]

2011 has been the year of Natural Disasters. (

Not really. By this time last year we had already had Haiti (which to put things into perspective, had 100 times as many deaths as all the major earthquakes from 2009 combined) and a pretty bad one in CHile.

In 2008 150 000 people died in Cyclone Nargis. before the Burmese junta even let aid in a only slightly more humane dictatorship was required to organise rescue operations in a China, just hit by an earthquake that killed 70 000 people.

In fact, every year there seems to be a natural disaster which kills over 50 thousand people. I would be surprised if the Japanese tragedy today turned out to be the most serious natural disaster of 2011.

In fact 2011 has only had 1 more earthquake than 2010 and 2009 had at this stage.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Six people swept off the beaches on the US West Coast. Just an amazing thought. The last time we had a tsunami warning here it was nothing more than another wave, no one could hardly tell.

I just hope this was a case of some people somehow not knowing, and not a case of fools going to the beach after all the warnings and all the sirens and police combing the shores warning them.

CBS News said out of every country on earth, Japan is best equipped to handle major earthquakes. So one can only imagine how devastating this would have been elsewhere. Still, while the death toll is surprisingly low so far, the amount of people stranded is going to be high, and this will take trillions of dollars to clean up.

 

[mewmewmew13]

my nephew in Tokyo is fine but still shaken...

my dad evacuated safely but they are still under the warning. read that a 9 foot wave hit Lahaina Harbor, reaching the second story of restaurants on Front Street (like Cheeseburger in Paradise, for those that know the area). my dad's house is right on the beach further down Front Street so i'm still a little nervous.

still, my god, it is nothing at all like what hit Japan! the more i see of the initial tsunami, the more unreal it seems... my heart just goes out to all those people. they never stood a chance

glad to hear your nephew is safe, but those folks have a long road of hardship coming don't they. Tokyo sounds a mess, and those are the luckier ones. Yes, those poor people and animals that were swept away...I can't think of much sadder event. Frustrating to not be able to help those.
A friend's wife (who is from Yokohama but now live in Boulder) lost some family members I think....I talked briefly to him today and he had not yet told his wife. So awful.

Thoughts to all involved,

mew

 

[mewmewmew13]

ps forgot to add, re your dad's place in Lahaina, ..I have been there and to imagine water up to the second story is very frightening.
take care

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

ps forgot to add, re your dad's place in Lahaina, ..I have been there and to imagine water up to the second story is very frightening.
take care

know that area well... and we're supposed to go to Maui in 3 weeks. But any resulting blip in those plans are dwarfed by what's happening in Japan.

 

[Granville57]

I just hope this was a case of some people somehow not knowing, and not a case of fools going to the beach after all the warnings and all the sirens and police combing the shores warning them.

Unfortunately, some of that too.

A man who went to the California coast to photograph the tsunami wave spawned by the Japanese earthquake was washed out to sea today and the Coast Guard has mounted a search for him.http://abcnews.go.com/US/california-man-swept-sea-tsunami/story?id=13112901

The devastation is difficult to fathom.
This is a very haunting montage from CNN. Apocalyptic scenes if ever there were.
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2011/03/11/natpkg.tsunami.wrap.cnn.html

And now this!!!

Radiation 1,000 times normal at Japan nuke plant
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42025882/ns/world_news-asia-pacific/?GT1=43001

Thoughts and prayers...

 

[BroDeal]

A man who went to the California coast to photograph the tsunami wave spawned by the Japanese earthquake was washed out to sea today and the Coast Guard has mounted a search for him.http://abcnews.go.com/US/california-...ry?id=13112901

I really have no sympathy for this idiot. If they find him, they should charge him for the search. Better yet, call off the search and send the money it would cost to Japan.

 

[thirteen]

Six people swept off the beaches on the US West Coast. Just an amazing thought. The last time we had a tsunami warning here it was nothing more than another wave, no one could hardly tell.

I just hope this was a case of some people somehow not knowing, and not a case of fools going to the beach after all the warnings and all the sirens and police combing the shores warning them.

at least two were fools:

A man who went to the California coast to photograph the tsunami wave spawned by the Japanese earthquake was washed out to sea today and the Coast Guard has mounted a search for him.
<snip>
In northern California near the Oregon border, a man who went to the coast to photograph the incoming wave was swept out to sea by the powerful surge, officials said. Coast Guard helicopters are searching for him near the mouth of the Klamath River, according to the Coast Guard.
<snip>

i'm a photographer and have been in less than savory situations (gotten myself tear-gassed and was too busy shooting to notice) but i know better than to fool with mother nature.

stupid! stupid! stupid!

 

[Anonymous]

And this is one of the reasons we arent having children. Theres going to be no world left for them to enjoy.

The planet is seriously screwed, weve ballsed up the air above us with toxic gases, weve ballsed up the ground and see with pollution, and weve ballsed up the ground below us with drilling, digging and setting off bombs.

I reckon this planet has a few hundred years before it becomes unlivable.

 

[krebs303]

Six people swept off the beaches on the US West Coast. Just an amazing thought. The last time we had a tsunami warning here it was nothing more than another wave, no one could hardly tell.

I just hope this was a case of some people somehow not knowing, and not a case of fools going to the beach after all the warnings and all the sirens and police combing the shores warning them.

CBS News said out of every country on earth, Japan is best equipped to handle major earthquakes. So one can only imagine how devastating this would have been elsewhere. Still, while the death toll is surprisingly low so far, the amount of people stranded is going to be high, and this will take trillions of dollars to clean up.

As they say fools rush in

Calif. man taking tsunami pictures swept to sea

CRESCENT CITY, Calif. — The Coast Guard searched for a man Friday who was swept out to sea by powerful waves generated by the tsunami in Northern California while taking photos near the mouth of the Klamath River in Del Norte County.

 

[The Hitch]

And this is one of the reasons we arent having children. Theres going to be no world left for them to enjoy.

The planet is seriously screwed, weve ballsed up the air above us with toxic gases, weve ballsed up the ground and see with pollution, and weve ballsed up the ground below us with drilling, digging and setting off bombs.

I reckon this planet has a few hundred years before it becomes unlivable.

Tectonic plates are not man created. In fact earthquakes regularly push out forces of several million hiroshimas.

 

[thirteen]

glad to hear your nephew is safe, but those folks have a long road of hardship coming don't they. Tokyo sounds a mess, and those are the luckier ones. Yes, those poor people and animals that were swept away...I can't think of much sadder event. Frustrating to not be able to help those.
A friend's wife (who is from Yokohama but now live in Boulder) lost some family members I think....I talked briefly to him today and he had not yet told his wife. So awful.

Thoughts to all involved,

mew

i have a feeling i'm never going to get the whole story until i see him or his brother again... and i still haven't heard about their grandparents (father's side) who, i believe, have a small farm closer to the epicenter.

the devastation, though, is sobering. maybe not the worst, as Hitch pointed out, but it always feels that way when it gets personal.

i feel for your friend and his wife -- it is so much harder when you're that far away!

as far my dad, i got a quick e before they went to sleep (up all night). there is some flooding in the outer structures, but the house was saved because the pool was empty (now 2/3rds filled with dirty seawater). i will hear more, i'm sure, when i speak to them tomorrow.

as for wildlife, this from Maui County Update:

Along Amala Street a 40 to 50 pound sea turtle was washed on shore and found near Kanaha Beach Park. Fire fighters were attempting to return the turtle back into the ocean at this time.

i'm sure there is more and it is near and dear to my heart. i spent my last day, when visiting in december, shooting a monk seal that loved to sun itself out front... i know these aren't the animals Hitch was referring to but all these endangered animals mean the world to me.

 

[flicker]

This morning I had a table where it explains better but I don't know how to paste it. But when I saw the scale I was shocked by the magnitude. That was really huge. here:

In California, I saw the concrete apron on a swimming pool with ground swells of 1 1/2 foot, kind of fun like getting a massage, the water coming over the sides of the pool. I have seen waves in plate glass windows, glass bend without breaking.
I saw people playing on the beach, surfing and fishing on the beach here, with police and fireman there, the beaches blocked off. If there is a warning people will disregard.

 

[The Hitch]

oh dear, i think i may adore you

Thanks ..........

 

[Escarabajo]

The biggest problem could be yet to come. 5 nuclear reactors in trouble.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42025882/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

 

[Ferminal]

And now this!!!

http://www.iaea.org/press/
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/index-e.html
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS_Battle_to_stabilise_earthquake_reactors_1203111.html
@arclight on twitter.

Better sources re situation at Fukushima Daiichi... Mainstream media will put their own less than accurate spin on things.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Those photographers swept out to sea are great candidates for Darwin awards. I'm sorry, but it's very difficult to have sympathy for someone that stupid. After all the warnings, sirens and all the police and everyone else working overtime to warn everyone and keep them off the beach... not only did they go there, when doing so they didn't even try to photograph it from high ground. Unreal.