9.0

I wasn't sure if I was going to post during this time, but if this is to be a log of my experience of Japan, how the fuck could I ignore a world-changing, life-changing event such as this...

But the amount I've been on facebook of late has enlightened me to the true strengths of this type of media... it allows us to quickly disseminate information, as we hear it, to those we love and who love us.

I can tell you how it occurred to us here in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture... for those of you that are unaware, please see this map:



View Larger Map

Well after the 9.0 hit, the energy from the shockwave had considerably dissipated by the time it got here and was about a magnitude 3. I didn't even notice. Maki called me into the lounge shouting 'earthquake', and at the time, without the blessing of knowledge, I shamefully thought it was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. The house wobbled a bit, things that were hanging became pendulous... I did think though, that I wouldn't think this was so cool if people had died...

It wasn't till a while later that I got a mail from Seb, saying it was an 8 and providing a link to the NHK Japanese news network which is in English:

http://wwitv.com/tv_channels/6810.htm

After then, the news has been on constantly as the horror has unfolded. The first time (about 5PM local time on Friday) we saw entire towns sweeping across the lands, inexorably, unstoppably... it's the sort of sight that stays with you forever. Like the shock of seeing the two towers come tumbling down.

I keep two live streams on: the above NHK and also the BBC one:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698


I'm thinking I need a third one though, so am going with CNN World... I hear it's a pretty good one.


What is there to say about the abject horror and the pure devastation of Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures... Nothing I can say could possibly do it justice.

After it first happened, there were reports of minimal fatalities, but when you can see the detritus of entire towns crawling across the land, you know something wasn't right there... maybe it was confirmed/identified folks only.

As I type the numbers are 1628 confirmed and 10,000 missing. The entire town of Minamisanriku... I don't have the words... I have but a series of overpowering emotions. The sense of being so powerless to help is insurmountable... Would that one was in a position to donate meagre coin, but I can't even do that yet.

Was supposed to go to Chiba prefecture via Tokyo today to begin training, but Chiba is in the east and many trainlines are not operating... I've been told to stay away. And thank fuck. Before they cancelled though, I was told to bring a torch and a whole bunch of batteries for the blackouts (all sold out locally), so I was gonna stash some candles as well.

I've been told by the school to prepare an earthquake bag containing essential supplies, but this is apparently fairly standard for all new teachers.

Earthquake, tsunami, potential meltdowns and now warnings of another big quake or aftershock with subsequent tsunami.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.