Earthquake in Japan

[Maggi Young]

I hope that no Forumists are caught up in this latest natural tragedy to hit the world. The earthquake  that has hit Japan seems to be a really big one and there are tsunami effects as well.
Good luck to all our Japanese Forumists... hope you are all safe.

[mark smyth]

Its been very scary watching it on the news and seeing people running from the water and debris. The waves smashing through buildings and ?greenhouses like they were made of paper

[fleurbleue]

All is right for Tetsuo and YT 

[Martin Baxendale]

At least it sounds like the fire at the nuclear power plant is out and there won't be a Japanese Chernobyl after all (assuming of course that the authorities are telling the truth about there not having been a release of radioactive material and aren't just trying to avoid a mass panic). Surely there have to be some serious questions about the safety issues surrounding building nuclear plants on and around major fault lines (even more than anywhere else).

[angie]

Glad to hear that Tetsuo and YT are OK. Thinking of everyone else, hope all is well. It is really terrifying watching the wave pick up huge vehicles and tossing them about like toy cars.

Angie

[Carlo]

My oldest daughter lives in Tokyo. We've heard from her that it was scary, but she's ok. Tokyo did not get the worst of it. Communications remain disrupted and they're sorting things out.

[Maggi Young]

All good news so far.... haven't heard about KK's son..... fingers crossed all is well.

[Maggi Young]

I've heard from Koko ( KK in Ann Arbor).... all is well but it has been especially distressing for her.....
" My son sent us an e-mail early this morning telling us that he was OK.   However, he was going to spend the night at work because of the transportation havoc.  I am actually from the area directly impacted, the northern part of the Honshu island on the Pacific Ocean side.  It is just horrifying to see the wave swallowing everything.  I heard that there was only 30 min between the earthquake and the tidal wave.  Fortunately all my relatives in that town live on the other side, away from water.

 Thank you again for your thought.

 Koko"

[annew]

It was horrifying just watching on TV, It must be terrifying to experience such events - our thought are with those affected. Relieved to hear our friends are safe at least.

[YT]

Thank you very much for all your warm-hearted comments.
Though the earthquake and tsunami was really big and terrible, we didn't get any damages at my living area. The centre of the quake was relatively far from here, so we had a bit of earth moving and only 1m tsunami was recorded. Now we are still having a highest alert of tsunami but it seems the alert will be cancelled shortly. Thank you again for thinking of us.

[cohan]

Good to hear at least some of our friends in the country are OK! Unimaginable images for those closer to the area.....

[Martin Baxendale]

Looks like I spoke too soon about nuclear disaster being averted. They're having to vent radioactive steam from one reactor where the cooling system failed, to reduce the pressure build-up and presumably to stop the containment building fracturing or exploding. That's a scary scenario, and they'll have to keep venting unless the cooling system can be repaired, or risk a Chernobyle-style explosion. I assume core melt-down isn't out of the question. I mean, nuclear power stations on a major tectonic fault line?!!

[Maren]

On the news tonight they said that they are now evacuating people living within 6 miles of the nuclear plant. That sounds ominous.

[Martin Baxendale]

I pity the poor engineers who may have to go into the containment building full of radioactive vapour and try to repair the cooling system.

[Martin Baxendale]

The evacuation zone may (hopefully!) only be to get people out of immediate danger from the plume of radioactive steam, rather than the danger of an explosion. Fingers crossed! If an explosion was imminent, I suspect they'd be evacuating a much wider area. But it sounds like there will be multiple releases of radioactive steam to keep the pressure down.