March 11, 2011, a day to remember...

Aerial image of before and after the massive tsunami destruction

I would to dedicate this post about my feelings towards the recent massive natural disaster that happened in Japan last Friday.


Usually I am a late waker but strangely enough on Friday morning I suddenly woke up at 5am, looking into my iphone I saw strange facebook posts about the massive earthquake and tsunami that happened in Miyagi. Strangely enough I turned on the TV and there I saw scenes after scenes these destructive forces of  tsunami engulfing quaint fishing villages around Sendai. Videos of scenes that you thought you will see on a sci-fi movie, or a little boy's toy cars that get tossed around in a giant bath tub or something... total madness...


These visually images are compelling, and even I am not Japanese myself, I totally felt uneasy about the situation. Seeing people losing their homes, or desperately look for their loved ones hoping they are still alive, or the hardships they undergo to find warmth and food, and the fear of possible afterquake or nuclear explosion, all these just make my heart sink.


As if humans are going into the new era of the ending of the world...


Some of my gaming friends are my "neighbors" from Japan and while most of them are safe and sound, some of them are affected by this incident somehow.  Internet, indeed is a wonderful thing. I got to know some of my friends are ok via the interne. These are messages that some of them posted on my wall:


Tokyo Bakery: 
I still can't get in touch with my uncle...


Hana:
Thank you. I'm ok! Just now the train have resumed operation. Back to my home now.
Last night I stayed in my office. Some member went back home on foot. My dad walked for 8 hrs! It's dangerous to walk on the dark road, so I didn't move from my office. Now there are many people at the station.
My dad is OK. My grandparents and aunt's family is in Ibaraki. I finally caught them yesterday. They took refuge. But Ibaraki doesn't have electricity and can't get water. When I am back at home in Saitama,  there were tablewares broken all over the room. But I'm aright. I'm afraid of the explosion from nuclear plant in Fukushima now. Japanese TVs don't show us the movie of the explosion. But I watched it by BBC news.
My grandparents live but I don't know their detailed situation. We are not able to use cell phone. I got catch my aunt by the cellphone. But today it seems to die their battery. For the moment I'll go to the comapny on Monday, but there are coworkers from my work in the stricken area in Miyagi and can't catch them at all.
(Monday) I'm in my home today because electricity stops today in Kanto area. 
Because a power is short in Japan. Saitama, almost time we can't use train...
we don't know when power will stop but now I can use PC.


kimutomo32:
Building seismic design is fine, so is the greater damage caused by the tsunami. 
Hokkaido is a problem because the intensity was about 4.
Also, the situation is quite dangerous nuclear power plants.  Are afraid of radioactive contamination.




Later, Hana sent me an email:

Thank you O-san

In my place, we don't have a problem water and foods for the moment.
But there are not article in stores.
This earthquake gave distribution big influence.
Most service stations of Kanto close. Gasoline seems to be short.
When this situation continues for a long term, our life and work are
very severe.
But no problem now.

Yes, Nuclear power plant in Fukushima explodes again..
Some people are injured.
I'm worried about people in this area.
And we felt a big earthquake again at the moment...

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said it will start an unprecedented rationing
of power as initially planned.
It was late last night.
So the railroad largely reduced the service of the train except the
center of Tokyo in Kanto area.
early morning, stations were filled with many many commuters who
didn't know a rolling blackout.
I had mobile mail to stay home from my office.
After all, a rolling blackouts was not carry out in the morning.
The people in Kanto are angry very much.
In addition, my place doesn't understand what time it's stop today.
Japan government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. don't announce the
correct information immediately, we are confused.

From the shock of Friday, I'm watching TV news all day, everyday.
The videos of stricken areas hurt me.

I thank for the relief from the many parts of the world.
I thought that Japan was disliked in the world until yesterday.
So I'm very glad and I thank for world people.
I'm proud of Japanese people are serious and that everybody cooperates.

I am so fine.
I was able to talk with my grandparents by phone because electricity
ran their place. I feel relieved.

Please pray for Japan, O-san.
We can overcome difficulties. I believe.

And I'm very very very glad for your kindness, friend.
thank you so much.
see you again!


hana




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O-san

I feel the love of people in the world now.
A lot of foreigners gave encouragement words to wall of my bakery.

It's thought that government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. surely
hiding something.
But I can understand that they give a careful response. In any case,
we nation has a way believing what the government says.

A fire by the aftershock still recurs in Miyagi.
Here still continue the aftershock now, so scary!

For save electricity, I stopped a game of iPhone and I switch off the PC.
But I'll report the situation to you as much as possible.

I can't thank you enough.




hana