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Alex Hofford / EPA
A destroyed graveyard is seen in the earthquake and tsunami ravaged town of Natori, Japan on Monday.
Natori, a coastal town in Japan, was virtually wiped out by the earthquake and tsunami. Rescue workers began to arrive on Monday, but they found few people to rescue. NBC News’ Ian Williams is one of the few reporters to reach what is left of the coastal town. He spoke by phone on Monday.
What is the scene like?
We are in Natori, a coastal area, up the coast from Sendai. The area close to the coast is just a complete wasteland – and this is one of the worst hit areas in the vicinity. The wave wiped just about everything away.
What was interesting today was seeing some of the first rescue teams going into the worst-affected parts. There is nothing much left – the tsunami pretty much razed the entire area closest to the sea.
A couple of houses are still standing. One of them actually had a school bus literally wrapped around the wall that it was slammed into by the wave.
The people in Natori had about half an hour warning that the tsunami was coming after the quake hit. So there were alarms and everyone tried to get out. But there is only one narrow road that leads back out of the coastal part of town.
A lot of people did get out, but a lot were also caught up in the wave. Officials don’t know the precise number of dead; they said there are still a lot of bodies they haven’t yet been recovered.
One of the strange things about this disaster is that no place is as well prepared as Japan for this kind of natural disaster. In many respects they have been rehearsing for this for years – in terms of the building standards, in terms of preparedness for tsunamis. But when it struck, it was so violent that not even the best system in the world was able to respond sufficiently quickly.
Have you met any survivors?
Yes, we met a number of people today who were coming back in for the first time to see what remained of their homes. Because of the mad scramble to get out ahead of the wave, a lot of families were split up – so a lot of people were still looking for loved ones.
We met one woman who was looking for two brothers. She found one of them – but not the other. And we went with her when she returned to what was left of their house –which was just a few pieces of wall. She broke down when she saw that because it was the first time she had been back since the wave hit. She was continuing to search for her brother and hadn’t given up hope that he would be in one of the shelters. There have been several shelters set up around the area mainly in schools or gymnasiums.
We met another family of six who had been separated from their mother, but they found her in one of the shelters on Sunday. They returned to what was left of their house – which was one of the few still standing in their area. They were removing possessions, including photograph albums, which were some of the most valuable things they wanted to salvage.
There was one other unlikely survivor – a dog.
We were looking across one of the lakes left by the tsunami covered by burning debris when we saw what appeared to be a man carrying a dog. By the time we caught up with the man, he was joined by a woman who had the dog on a leash. She was really emotional and said, “I can’t believe it. I am so happy.”
The dog was called “May” – a girl. They lost her as they scrambled to leave town when the tsunami hit and they had just gone back today to look for her. There she was rustling around in the remains of their house. They don’t know how she survived. She looked pretty nervous – she was shaking – but she made it through the earthquake and the tsunami somehow.
We also met a few city officials from the area. They told us it was just impossible to say how many people they had lost because families had scattered and been divided. A lot of the bodies would have been swept out to sea. They reckoned it would be some time before they would have a full count of the number of dead.
They also told us they were facing quite a critical situation taking care of survivors who were staying in shelters.
This is what surprised me because we think of Japan as a rich first world country, but they said that they have a shortage of blankets, water and certain medicines. The total number of people displaced by the quake is about 450,000. There are also about another 80,000 who have been forced to move away from the nuclear power plants.
Alex Hofford / EPA
Search and rescue workers look for survivors in an earthquake and tsunami ravaged house in Natori, Japan on Monday. Click on the photo above to see a complete slideshow of the destruction in Japan.
What about the nuclear plants? Are people very nervous about them on top of everything else?
I think so. The Fukushima nuclear power plant is some distance from here. But people have been looking nervously at the images that have been played out endlessly on Japanese television of the explosions at the plants. The government is putting out lots of reassurances that this is not a Chernobyl, that the situation is under control, and that there is not going to be a major release of radio activity.
But I think there is a fair amount of skepticism here because over the years the nuclear industry in Japan has not always been terribly transparent and honest. As a result, a number of incidents in the industry over the years have not been reported or covered up. So I think the government is aware of that problem and are trying to make information available in a timely manner. But the experience in Japan over the years has left people a bit suspicious.
What about the rescue effort? Who are the rescue workers and how are they doing it?
They are all Japanese rescue workers from the local and national authorities. We saw them with dogs and heavy lifting equipment. They were working slowly and methodically around the buildings. Obviously, they have to be very careful because what remains standing in an area that’s largely been wiped from the map is very precarious and there are aftershocks all the time.
The dogs themselves have been trained to sniff for live bodies –but they didn’t find any of those today. They go around and periodically release the dogs to run up and down if there is any structure of a building left. Every now and again you see little bits of excitement when the dog appears to kind of perk up and then it loses interest again – just a false alarm.
When we arrived today there was a tsunami alert. There have been several of those. We were caught up in one yesterday with emergency vehicles wailing down the street. Saying, “Move out! Move now! Tsunami is coming!” Of course it didn’t.
But it’s a measure of just how jittery and anxious people here are. If there is any suggestion that more water could be on the way, it gets people moving toward higher ground.
It happened this morning again as well. Rescue efforts were stopped and then resumed again after lunch. Later in the day, there were a lot more emergency vehicles and a lot more teams out. But some areas were still inaccessible because of all the debris – mountains of wood, beams, just about everything.
You think of a tsunami as mountains of water coming ashore, but sometimes the water is the least of your problems. It’s everything else the water is carrying – like that bus we saw embedded in the roof of one of the buildings left standing.
I know you covered the tsunami in Banda Aceh, Indonesia in 2004 and the devastating 8.0 earthquake in Sichuan, China in 2008. How does this compare to some of those other disasters you’ve covered?
It’s bad. In a sense you go to a country like China, Indonesia, India – countries that are not as rich as Japan – and you expect the death and injury figures you hear initially to be highly preliminary. You expect the figure to end up much higher as rescue workers get to remote places.
I think what has been so surprising about this is that even in a rich country like Japan, a country that was so well prepared, we are still struggling to reach some of the more difficult and inaccessible areas. And really, we still have no idea how many people have died. I think that the figures we are seeing now are at best guesstimates and will rise much higher.
It shows just how vulnerable even a country like Japan is to a violent act of nature like this.
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Actually, I don't expect the death toll or destruction to be any less in a highly developed country than in a remote, third-world area. In places like Indonesia they are less likely to overbuild on the coasts (or anywhere else), less likely to have lots of buses being carried through town on the water, etc. Plus, the less developed places seem to recover much more quickly. It'll take years and years to rebuild these areas in Japan to anything close to what they were a week ago.
I also think no matter how well they in time rebuild....it will never feel safe living there for the people of Japan and will be more of a ghost town of remembered horrors.
No amount of preparation can make any country safe from devastation such as this. Developed areas with high populations are extemely vulnerable. Imagine if this happened near the LA - San Diego area what the impact would be. My heart goes out to the unfortunate people dealing with this catastrophe.
Not sure how anyone can get over such a loss. Sending prayers
to all those involved and a wish that their lives can somehow be
put back together.
Rebuilding after a catastrophe depends both on the available resources and the extent of devastation. In addition, rebuilding may take place with newer, more stringent standards applied.
I went through numerous earthquakes and disastrous wildfires in California from the early 1960's forward. That state had set some fairly strong building requirements in place after a terrible quake in 1933, but the 1971 quake in Southern Calfiornia still did very significant, widespread damage. As a result, even tougher codes were put in place, including mandatory replacement of schools that didn't meet the 1933 standards, and retrofitting of buildings made from nreinforced brick of cement block.
Schools were all closed rather rapidly if they were covered by these laws - some being sold for private use, others torn down and replaced. The retrofitting went on for about 10 years, in Los Angeles. In the meantime, major sections of highways that were wrecked in 1971 were replaced or rebuilt in just about 2-3 years. A number of older buildings badly damaged were replaced in 2-5 years.
The total area involved was pretty substantial, while many of the retrofit requirement and new standards were applied statewide. This turned out to be extremely important when the Whittier Narrows quake struck in the late 1980's, with relatively minor damage. Unfortunately, the 1989 San Francisco quake caused major damage in some areas, including the collapse of elevated freeway secions in the East Bay and loss of parts of the Bay and San Mateo Bay bridges. And there was considerable destruction in the San Francisco Marina area, built atop landfill that liquified quickly. Rebuilding after that event took quite a long time.
The Northridge Quake was devastating, too. Fortunately, the stiffer building standards and retrofit programs prevented even further damage. My two-story home moved about four inches across its foundation and things were tossed about inside. It could have been far worse - and in the San Fernando Valley, it was.
Remarkably, many sections of destroyed freeway - especially the Santa Monica - were rebuilt in a very short time. Replacing a major shopping mall that had been virtually dstroyed took about two years. Most debris left after the quake was gone in a month. Again, this was an event that affected a wide area.
But California, despite some tough building restrictions and efforts to be prepared, is not ready for a very large quake of the power shown in Japan. A magnitude-8 shaker anywhere in the state will be a serious disaster.
Japan's many days, weeks and months of trial have only begun. But the country is a dermined and disciplined nation. She will rebuild, yes - but it won't be soon. And her memory will forever be seard with the loss of so many of her people.
Thanks for the account/update, but what can we do to HELP? There should be a link attached to every bit of news coverage letting us know what we can do sympathy and prayers are nice, but are not going to make these folks worlds right again! Here's a list I found if anyone is interested:
The irony to this disaster is that put simply: There is no man made structure or place on this planet safe from mother nature. At best we can try to avoid the places that we know from past experience has been the scene of major natural disasters and great loss of life. Why people continue to live near shores, at the base of volcanoes, on the edges of major rivers or in what they think are extinct craters is the reason more people die. They become complacent and don't believe these things could happen to them. Well, they can and frequently do happen to anyone! I believe that we should all live a simpler life and appreciate what things we do have like family and friends and not sweat the small stuff or the loss of a material possession. We can always work to regain possessions, but you cannot replace someone you love if they are taken from you......and ANY city is susceptible to a major earthquake and its destructive force. Why second guess them, just accept that mother nature is gonna do what she always does: renew the planet when she feels it is necessary.
My heart and prayers go out to them all....such devistation
You say that you are surprised that a first world country like Japan is short on blankets, water, and medicine. These things were lost in the tsunami!
With so many people with access to the internet, someone needs to create a place where people can go to find loved ones.
Clearly, we are ALL in the final days. My heartfelt prayers goes out to all who have lost their loved ones and their homes. Japan will rebuild, but of course it will never be the same. God help us, and God bless us all and keep us safe from hram, death and destruction, in Jesus name I pray... Amen!
Cori & anyone else interested in helping- HOPE Worldwide is a faith based benevolent organization based in Pennsylvania. They were very effective helping in India, Haiti and Louisiana after their disasters. I heard that they have been asked by a group in Tokyo to provide assistance to the people in Sendai. If you are looking for a way to help, you can contact them @ 610-254-8800. They have an 800 # but I don't know it. I got the 610 # off their website (which you can visit for more info). (If not the 1st, then they opened one of the 1st AIDS clinics in Africa back in the late 80's. As you can see from the sticker below, they do not waste money on administrative frills. They are a very efficient & efffective organization.
Mother earth has a way of righting herself. However, this is beyond comprehension. Just imagine, no were to go, no were to sleep, no facilities, absolutely NOTHING!!
It is unimaginable. What can we do or say at this devastating time. There for but the grace of God go us!
It may just be the beginning of the end. If we know anything, you whole life can change in an instant, so live life, love your family and friends and take one moment at a time.
Beyond horrible. Thank you, b-895713, for the information on Hope Worldwide.
The death toll will not be known for months. Many of the dead have not been reported as missing. There is no one to report them missing. Many entire families have perished. I hope Japan does a census like US does and they will be able to determine who has been killed. Many were washed out to sea and many were pounded into the ground from the Tsunami. Their bodies will probably never be recovered. Even though Japan is a first world country no matter how well you build something Mother nature can and will tear it down. It is so fortunate that the people were warned a 1/2 hour early that the water was coming or the toll would be so much higher. So we can be glad we have ways to detect it. Speculation about death toll based on who is reported missing is only that--speculation. I expect it to be much higher. Gid Bless all the dead and may they RIP.
Soutenly--- Guess what? NO ONE did ask you!! I trust you think you live in an area that is guaranteed to be safe to have wished such a horror on YOUR country. If you do, be careful what you wish for. You may be one of the FIRST to go. There is no place in the world guaranteed an existence without devastation and death. The Lord often works in strange ways. Maybe you should pack up your a** and get out and live someplace "safe"
This is very bad. My friend lives just north of Tokyo, and since power is down, there is no way I can reach her. I am also worried about the radiation. The whole entire plant exploded, and I do not want Japan to be a ghost town like Chernobyl. I am not only worried for my friend, but also for the rest of the residents. Japan is usually very prepared because there are a lot of earthquakes the. This is one of the worst earthquakes ever since the 1900's. I am very scared, because I now feel like the world is gong to end. First Alaska, now Japan, which country is next?
s
The Japanese people don't deserve this...niether do people in Mexico or California or any other place in this world...and you have a dream to see devastation like this in places you choose to not care for? To see families and children ripped apart like that?
Quetion...have you ever looked into seeking professional help? you are obvioulsy very disturbed...just sayin
Soutenly, you are suspended for a day for violating rule # 5 of the Code of Honor.
Don't death wish.
Thank yu
Sally - Have you not read Soutenly's posts over the last few days?! How did you finally just now get around to suspending him.
It's hard to imagine a catastrophe of this magnitude, and then you see the pictures and hear the stories and it all becomes horribly real.
No amount of preparation will prevent such devastation when nature is in its full fury. We grieve, we rebuild, and we go on with our lives. But we're never the same afterward. Let's pray for the healing of our friends, the Japanese people, and their great nation.
My civics teacher said in class today that although the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan were bad, the contamination from the nuclear reactors that blew up is far, far worse. She said that radiation is spreading over the whole pacific ocean and poisoning all the fish and whales and that it will also be spreading over the whole United States. This has me very frightened, but my teacher said it won't kill us. My teacher also said this is why nuclear power is really stupid. Either way though, I am still scared.
I am sorry but your teacher really should keep their mouth closed!!! There is NO proof of that yet and to unneccessarily frighten you all is just irresponsible!! Shame on him/her!
Sounds like your teacher is a fearmonger and basing her comments on her view of nuclear power. The radiation is NOT spreading over the whole pacific ocean, poisoning all the fish and whales or spreading over the whole United States.
it is so surprising how many people out there do nothing but try and scare people because they dont seem to know any better
Everyone, don't respond to Kayla. She's a troll. Note that she is "in Wisconsin". No teacher said this to her, she's just playing politics.
It's foolish to build below 50 feet elevation anywhere in the world.
Once global warming raises sea levels a few more feet it will be foolish to relocate those people a few feet higher!
There should be a global LAW that prohibits the building of dwellings for habitation within 100 feet of sea level!
GLOBAL!
So, you'd force people who live near Death Valley to relocate? How about the Dead Sea? Both are below sea level... Considering you'd displace about 30% of the population of the world, probably not doable. Florida, for instance, would be mostly vacant according to the new "law". Any bright ideas on where to put them? Also, how about hurricanes? Should everyone who lives near where hurricanes are prevalent be foreced to move? How about earthquakes, volcanoes, and tornadoes? Tornadoes would be a real problem, no place on earth is not subject to them.
You still hung up on that Global Warming Myth? Too Slow
The earth has been slowly warming since the beginning of time. There is no proof that anything we are doing is increasing the speed of this process. Same goes for earthquakes. I can't believe the governor of Tokyo said THIS:
The outspoken governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, told reporters Monday that the disaster was "punishment from heaven" because Japanese have become greedy.
Can you BELIEVE THAT?! omg....
Jerry - Not a myth; certainly had nothing to do with the present disaster in Japan and maybe misnamed, but 'Carbon Induced Climate Change' is real and in all likelihood will cause a substantial rise in sea levels and probably faster than present conservative models. Ocean front property is swell and a nice place to visit but I prefer higher altitudes.
Your gonna be moving a lot of people. Bangladesh has 142,000,000. A lot of the country is in your zone of 100 feet of sea level. I hope you have a big house. Bangladesh has seen a steady increase in the salinity of it's water supply as the sea level changes. This will become a bigger problem lots of places. Whether we are the cause of global warming or not it is happening. I do agree rebuilding New Orleans where it is was a fiasco.
mipak - not sure you have really thought out your statement, I live 90 miles from the ocean and my elevation is only slightly higher than 100 feet. What are you going to do with all of the people living between me and the ocean? Then again I have not bought into the histeria of global warming either. I think the bottom line is no matter how much man thinks they are in control and understand the laws of nature the final score will be nature 1 - man 0
Really Global Warming - I get so tired of hearing about it. do any of you stop and think that maybe it is just the circle of life. Weather changes.
Nancy, clearly you are no expert or even a person with a scientific mind. Yes weather changes but we are in the midst of global warming. That has been proved over and over. My guess is you're a Tea Partier. You clearly believe in nothing.
My heart and prayers go out to Japan and all of those touched by this horrible disaster. It will be decades before these areas are rebuilt. How incredibly sad for such a proud people.
Global warming is a farce. Climategate proved that it is nothing but a big "con game". Altered data on earth's climate was manipulated by so called scienists with a covert agenda.
Their goal was the ability to come up with an excuse for global taxation (Cap and Trade).
Do not ignore that man behind the curtain!
Planning to also move the cities all along the east coast, the gulf coast and the west coast, too? New York, Washington, Baltimore, Miami, Charleston, SC, virtually the entire state of Florida, Mobile, New Orleans, Beaumont,Tx, Houston, Corpus Christi, portions of every city on the west coast from San Diego to Bellingham, Wa. You want to extend that to other countries? Try moving London or Sydney or Hong Kong. Don't think so.
W. Groin, you clearly have a crush on Al Gore. Ever hear of the ice age? The earth has been warming consistently since then. This has nothing to do with the disaster in Japan.
Concur! Not gonna happen.
The oceans are not going to rise either.
Yeah, the millions of Dutch will be sad to move...to nowhere. New Orleans is below sea level. It used to not be. But it is sinking. Moving everything 50 ft above sea level sounds pretty expensive...not to mention IMPOSSIBLE!!
Thats the smartest thing i've heard yet!
Lets vote on it, pray on it, or have a right-wing pronouncement on it, that will surely change reality. One may argue that the climate is not warming, or one can believe that the earth was created as in Genesis October 22, 4004 BCE, but it becomes very hard to argue with the evidence collected in Hawaii since the middle of the 20th century that CO2 levels are rising and continue to rise in the atmosphere because of our need and policy to burn through fossil fuel as fast as possible. To then believe that there will be no consequences to that policy is to bury one's head in the sand, which is exactly what our Republican congress is want to do.
Governor Shintaro Ishihara of Tokyo is one of the very few Japanese who speaks the truth and tells it like it is. Recently, the Japanese have been causing tensions on the verge of war with all their neighbors over islands off of Japan's home islands: China, South Korea, and still the old border disputes over the Kuril Islands with Russia. The Japanese have even been having gunboat battles with Taiwan over islands near that democratic nation prior to this deadly earthquake and tidal wave.
hey crap happends no matter where you live i just lost my house in a wild fire in TX along with about 35 other people its just God's way. what can you do but pick up the peices and keep going in tell it happends to you how can you debate anything
Evoking what had happened in Japan is the result of greediness is a misinterpretation of what mother nature can do. We have to be ignorant not to remember that history repeats itself. What happens in Japan is what had happened in the past and just begining of what will be happen to the planet very soon. It just remainds us (survivors) whereever we can be our we must conduc tourselves since we don't know when it will be our turn.
Yes global warming is happening but if you do your research you will find out that we came out of a "little ice age" back in the 50-60 so of course things are warmer then they were then,
Well, I live on the beach. Been here 60 years. The sea level has not budged one inch during my entire life here. No reason to believ it will rise in the nex ten-twenty either. Seems the world has been warming to some degree for the last 15 thousand years, since the last Ice Age. Carbon is a scam for the stupid. All about your tax dollars. Sucker! Don't worry , they said we were heading into an ice age back in the late 70's. Its all non sense. A couple huge volcanic eruptions & we will cool right back down. No problem.
Global warming - can you all stop ponitificating like you know it all and that there is a clear answer. let's all deal with one simple thing the climate is changing whether induced on naturally occuring. Then lets apply reason - all that we are doing on this planet does accelarate or exacerbate the change. None of us will ever be able to figure out how much or little because there is no model we can control for all the variants and compare against but to say we have no impact or that we are entirley to blame is ludicrous.
What we have set in motion we can not stop, we can try to contain, but get ready the best is yet to come whether human induced or just a natural series of events.
I love carbon induced climate change. Lets get this right: Carbon is causing an increase in temperature. Last I knew everything that has breath on earth produces carbon dioxide in their exhale of breath. So an increase in CICC is caused by everything that breathes. On top of that methane is a bigger threat to CICC. So our farts and anything that decomposes are producing methane.
Then on the other hand trees, that remove carbon, are being cut down everywhere in the world to clear for farmland to produce food for this population of breathing gas passing, garbage producing/decomposing animals. So the thing that would prevent CICC is being removed from the earth to make way for those that cause CICC.
Funny that this all comes from the liberal media and government that supports welfare programs and fights against population control
You may have a point there, I was involved with the rebuilding after Katrina, Rita & Ike. Still not completed, by the way, I also sometimes wonder how these "less developed places" do it, then I see the local planners and their "lobbyists" the endless planning meetings, political infighting, hands being held out for any scrap they can get, & I am not taking about the event survivors here!
Most survivors can & quite often do just get on with it; sometimes having to tear down & re-build because they didn't have the right permit paid off (opps sorry; filed).
But I suppose that what we get for the civilized, developed country we are and choose to live in.
They do it with Bamboo. they live in a warmer area
why rebuild just burn it all and move on. It would be faster
I used to tour all over Japan when I was on the road. I love Japan and everything Japanese. Their culture, humility, but most of all their kindness towards me. My heart is broken for them. I wish there was something I could do to help. When I was there on one of my many dates I was lost in Hiroshima. A young mother was walking downtown with her three year old son. My Japanese was minuscule to say the least. I wanted to go to Freedom Park which is a huge complex commemorating the bombing of Hiroshima. She decided to take me there. I was so touched by the experience. I asked her how do the Japanese really feel about America? Without blinking an eye I she gave me the most incredible smile and said we love America. After leaving I knew I would never be the same. And before anyone starts hating on this matter please don't. When I performed in Washington D.C. I spent a day visiting the Holocaust Museum and the African American Museum. Pain is pain, Tears are tears, Misery is misery and Compassion is compassion. Love is love. The bottom line we are all the same. The only thing that really separates any of us is Culture. Be Blessed everyone.
I can no longer see pictures of this devastation w/out bursting into tears. I find it so overwhelming that an entire country, with as lovely a people and a culture should have to suffer like this. I can only pray, frist that the U.S. and other countries help Japan to mitigate their losses; secondly, that the Almighty be compassionate. I have a large family, and it would be devastating to lose even one of my siblings, their spouses, or one of the children. I think the entire world should take note that we are all vulnerable to being obliterated by a force of nature or some other cause. That should give the entire world pause. Perhaps we should all better appreciate our commonality as a human family. Blessings and prayers to Japan and all its people!!!
Beautifully expressed M. Dunphy...the reality for these people is heart rending and the pain and anguish the same for all peoples... we must help if we can and at least pray for them if we cannot give money.
I too have my stories about visiting Japan and experiencing her people. My son lived in Japan for six months of his senior year of high school. We have stayed with his host parents twice and their warmth and hospitality was exceptional. When I landed in Tokyo, I could not find my hotel. Some young man walked myself and my husband to the hotel five blocks away. And he pulled my suitcase for those five blocks !!! Do people do that here? Maybe.
I also feel helpless and wish there was something that I could do to help. It is heartbreaking to see the devastation.
This has touched my heart, I had tears in my eyes you know God created us all to love one another and he is one great God that loves every one. He does not make exceptions to no one. My prayers go out to each and everyone in Japan. This world needs to learn to love each other more, no matter what country or nationality.
We were fortunate enough to live in Japan for 4 years some 40 years ago and have been back several times since. I completely share the sentiments of those who love the Japanese people and culture. These are a remarkable people in so many ways and I, too, am absolutely heartbroken to see the scope of this disaster that has befallen them. No amount of preparation could have prevented the consequences of the unrelenting destructiveness of a tsunami. These seaside towns will never fully recover and I grieve with them for their loss.
I can no longer see pictures of this devastation without thinking how stupid and irresponsible the Japanese are in building nuclear power plants atop the world's most deadly seismic faultlines. Then have no shame and cry to America and the rest of the world, like little children, to come and bail them out.
you said it all hun, all!!!
what they said about what happened in japan was really sad.I think we should help them and give them food and clothes if we can. People please have a heart share some love and care for them, because if you were them you would want some help. Please help
- THANKYOU
Please, Most Merciful Father, keep safe those that survived, and take to your heavenly mansion, those that did not. We are but mere Humans. We cannot fathom the devastation that these people are enduring....
Please wrap your arms around them and keep the survivors safe. Please bless those that are travelling to the area to help. Let help and supplies arrive in time to save lives. All this we ask in Your Name........
He obviously isn't merciful. He killed tens of thousands with an earthquake. Or maybe, just maybe, it is all random.
It was not God that did this, it was the devil Satan, you need to read the bible and learn for yourself! God is a God of love. The devil goes around to kill, steal, and destroy!
who are we and how strong are we without our trials and tribulations?
Scott....please, be compassionate. Lab rat is only trying to say an honest prayer for these devastated people. Your comment was unnecessary.
Thank you for your kind prayer. God Bless
"It was the devil Satan"
Right.
OR, it was just natural forces at work.
How about these media crews put down their cameras and help out? I can't imagine they have close to enough people to help.
They will tell you; they are there to report the news not become part of it.
No matter where on the planet you choose to build, there is a natural catastrophe that can befall you. Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, landslides. The list is endless. A tragedy of this magnitude just completely boggles the mind. My thoughts and prayers to all those effected.
I couldn't agree with you more. With all the news coverage it is just heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers are with them as well.
Japan was like California is today, in a state of denial. People were busy and too tired to listen to another earthquake story. I was lucky to be born in California and even luckier to have left.
James. I totally agree with you. This WILL BE California. It WILL HAPPEN. It's just a matter of time.
The USA should look at this as an example and check and prepare for something like this in CA.
Are the sirens working? Do certain areas of the cities know where they should go in an evacuation?
What kind of assistance is in place for the aftermath? Do people know what to do in such an emergency?
They should.
If they don't they should be told.
If they don't they will wind up DEAD just like the 1000's here... there isn't much time in a Tsunami...and there is NO time to wonder what to do!
I disagree. Japan has been preparing for this for a very long time. They had the best possible preparations. There is no way to prepare for a Tsunami of that magnitude. I would be willing to bet the majority of deaths came from the water, not the quake. Japan has some of the best architecture in the world for withstanding earthquakes. If this same quake hit almost anywhere in the U.S. it would be far more catastrophic just from the earthquake damage.
Yeah, I've been feeling like its just about the U.S.A.s turn. Major quakes have hit every other continent in the ring of fire in the last few years. I live in the San Joaquin valley The Big Valley, so don't have as much to fear as L.A. or san fran. But back in 1952 there was a big one in the valley here that damaged a lot of old buildings, uprooted telephone poles, shifted property lines about 5 feet diagonally, and sunk bear mountain several feet into the lithosphere. Bakersfield doesn't get it as bad as L.A. Though if the earthen dam at Lake Isabela gave way in an 8pointer it would send a wall of water two or three stories high down the kern river all the way to old river road. It would be around one story by then.
Like the overly irate guy said, we can't force people not to live in flood planes, Dam fronts, top of faults, brushy forest-fire areas, bottom of bare hillsides or tornado alleys so that we don't have to pay them tax dollars in relief every couple of years... but we can be smart enough not to live in those areas ourselves.
I live far enough south of town that the wall of water wouldn't reach me. I'm surrounded by farms, not big buildings. And I'm not on top of any major fault systems.
Personally I don't think it pays to buy disaster insurance. If a disaster happens everyone files claim at once and the company pleads hardship and pays out a fraction of the agreed amount. You might as well invest it in some sort of technology, at least money will be waiting when you need it. Unless the banks break the system again. Still its more likely to be get-at able than insurance money in a crisis.
Same reason to get cheap-o car insurance. Why pay high premiums for years, and then hope they pay back that one time? Invest the same amount annually in a solid stock and then sell when you need the cash, like if your car was totaled. Sell it for scrap and start a new contract on a brand new car with your invested money.
Actually, Japan was built with higher standard to withstand and earthquake and tsunami. However, this magnitude was never imagined. California is nowhere near ready for anything like this. It is frightening to think of the devastation that would take place if something like this hit CA.
The Cascadia earthquake of 1700 was recorded as a tsunami by the Japanese. It was a 9.0 when it happened on the US coast. It reoccurs about once every 500 years. This earthquake took down a couple mountains that had been undercut by the river in the Columbia River Gorge. I agree with above, there isn't a whole lot one can do other than prepare with basic necessities like food and water, so IF you survive you have a chance. Many will not. It is just too large a natural disaster for mankind to prepare as you have a few minutes between the earthquake and the tsunami dependant on where you are.
1700, eh?
What do the global warming people blame it on back then? Ancient earthquakes and glaciers melting and freezing are what caused much of the present topography of our planet.
We human beings play a miniscule part in the whole scheme of things.
I am still amazed that we have not been reading about Looting. I am sure it has happened. But we are not hearing about it. Instead people are lined up waiting to get into a store. Amazing. Would NEVER happen in the United States. People here would break downa wall to steal what they could. You have to admire these people.
You have to understand this society is based upon confusionism. This is not a ME ME ME - individual-first society like it is in the USA.
They live for the group and are supported by the group. This is why people are not raping the land for what they need - looting / and secondly they are exhausted and in shock - they have lost everything. Just thinking straight is very difficult at times like these. They escaped with their lives... if you understand these things, you will understand more why they are a peaceful people. Maybe read up on their culture a bit more.
Ummm, I don't know how to respond to that because I know what they did to Korea and the Chinese back in the day, so lets just say their current culture is very peaceful and democratic and environmental.. except for whales.. and leave it at that.
I AM sorry for their losses, they have been a model nation in our lifetime and have contributed much that has shaped our culture today. Technology, building codes, cars, tv, radio, video games manga and anime. I grew up influenced by japanese culture. Seriously, all my base are belongs to them.
I have been following the One Piece anime for years and recently Beelzebub (the one about the baby--which is hilarious) These people are so talented and have made me laugh so many times. To see the upcoming episodes now absent from the site where they usually post them, I wonder if the artists are dead or alive, maybe out there surviving in the rubble. These are the people I feel closer to since I don't actually know anyone in japan. I also wonder if Makoto Nagano is still alive. The guy from the Ninja Warrior game show. I always rooted for him when it was on G4. Hopefully he had his fishing boat out at sea.
campdogs: Of course there's looting going on. The fact of the matter is, the Japanese are the greatest pretenders and distorters of facts and realities. They do not want the outside world to see that they are just as human as anyone else. Why, they've even duped so many out here with their propaganda. Don't think that Japanese censors are not beside our journalists over there directing them not to cover incidents of looting or pillaging. And don't write back and tell me how "wonderful," "gracious," "honorable," and all the other heavenly adjectives that describe the Japanese. You are in never-never land to believe in these MYTHS. Don't insult my intelligence because I grew up with them.
Nancy, A little nieve of you to profess understanding of Japanese Society. Where were you in 1941-46? How many of your families relatives died because of their Imperialistic Culture during WWII? Their way of life can be best described by compliance with authority be it family, employer or government. Confusionism is not their main religion... money is.
They are a peacefull people now! But War Mongers just 60 years ago.. Personally I grew up without a father, an uncle and an aunt .....not because of Japan's peaseful nature.
They got their asses whipped by a generation of Americans and have had their tails between their legs ever since. The society is organized much more on the We than the Me. They will rebuild.
Nancy - I feel terrible for those people and I support the U.S. helping in any reasonable way we can - but if you think anyone's buying your pollyanna description of Japanese society, I have a bridge to sell you, and an expensive one at that.
Karimun Man, I know where you are coming from.
I'll never forgive those "War Mongers" the British for burning the White House.
Same thing, right?
As a Japanese American, the difference in reaction to this natural disaster between people here and people there is simple: social disparity. Japan does not nearly suffer as much from this societal disease as the US does. Anywhere where social disparity is greater will also suffer from more violence. If you understand these things, you will understand more what makes people more peaceful. Maybe read up on your culture a bit more.
Uh, Nancy, I believe you mean "Confucianism" and that's Chinese.
esoteric, you make a good point. Living in a country with "social disparity" (we prefer to call it "diversity") does tend to make one view things differently. But I would not go so far as to call it a "disease."
My cousin is a reporter there. They do help. They also help by doing thier jobs and reporting what is happening to the world. Everyone plays a role. People do what they can. When they are not filming - they are helping people. You should not make assumptions. What did YOU do to help today? If you have not yet made a donation, you are no one to speak.
Nancy, ALL the taxpayers will have donated as the U.S. is planning on sending quite a bit of aid.
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The end times...?
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Agreed! Its coming! Are you ready?
No. The so-called "end times" will come in about 5 billion years when the engorged sun in its last throes envelopes the Earth. Until then, you can relax.
What is your problem? William is obviously just making a small joke, and definitely isn't asking for your negative feedback. Also, you cannot tell him that he is wrong and that the world will end in 5 billion years because that is purely opinion. You are trying to state a theory as a fact. He can't prove that this is a sign of the "end times" and you can't prove that the world will end 5 billion years from now.
An excellent resource for the "End Times" is in the Bible. Refer to the Book of Revelation and the book of Daniel as well.
The Bible a resource? Just another theory and not very well supported by much of our planet's population. I'm a preachers kid and I even have trouble with belief in revelations.
Jesus is coming! Look busy!
god bless japan
Obviously she doesn't bless them. She sent a 9.0 earthquake their way. If there were a god, she should be indicted for murder.
What a ridiculous idiot you must be.
What is your problem? This person, Paul, is only leaving a nice comment in hopes that these people can recover from a terrible incident. Why are you trying to start an argument with someone that never said anything to you? Maybe you should go join those people in Japan.
By the way, God is supposed to be a man. Why are you saying "She"?
Dear Scott
In times of tragedy we feel the need to express our sympathies in any way possible, especially when it happens on the other side of the world and we cannot physically do anything to comfort or aid those who are suffering. So some do so with their faith in some thing that cannot be empirically proven and yet has been proved to them by personal experience. Your snarky comments will not sway someone with faith and only portray those who hold to no faith but in blind fate as uncaring and selfish. We understand that in your own way you may be attempting to understand the chaos of life through anger at those who would call out to God for comfort, however, I feel that your anger at people of faith is misdirected and is not helpful.
Scott, I know you don't think there is a God, but just for a moment say that there is.
Who are we to tell Him that He's obligated to not allow any harm to come on any one of us? He's the Creator of everything. He. Made. You. He's supposed to bow down to you and obey your commands? You've got the roles obviously reversed.
You say that if God were real, He wouldn't allow people to suffer or to go hungry. The fact of the matter is that the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, even the beating of our hearts has all been given to us! We should and must all be grateful to Him for blessing us with our existence, and even more so for the opportunity to be forgiven by Him through Jesus!
This world has turned its back on Him, and if what it takes for its people to bow to Him is to be knocked down to their knees, He will assuredly do it!
I sincerely hope and pray that you realize that truth before it's too late.
Scott, I will pray for you as well as those in Japan who have lost so much. Why must you put others down because of their belief? Are these words of encouragement hurting you? Well, I hope not and I hope that you have a blessed day.
I dont know about all these people who imagine God in such human terms like what sex God is I know we were made in his image Im pretty sure that means we have independant thought and decision make abilities but that is about the extent of it I cannot create entire universe with a word and it has taken the entire collective human intelligence to even understand even a small fraction of what God has created and Im really sick of the God is love phrase too In Gods own word He is never changing eternal Jealous wrathful and wants us to fear him to just mention a few things remember he kills a man for touching the ark in a reaction as it was falling I'm pretty sure his intentions were good but God killed him don't even pretend to understand God your human not God
People having been living in the coastal regions of Japan and other countries for centuries. There is always the possibility of a disaster such as this, but think of the thousands of years that have passed without incident. No one can guarantee that anywhere is going to be absolutely safe from anything. The loss of entire towns and cities in Japan and all the inhabitants is just more than my mind can absorb. I see the pictures, but I still can't completely grasp the magnitude.
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This all is so sad. My heart breaks for these people. It is such devastation where do they even begin to make it better? It is all beyond comprehension. . My prayers for the survivors.
Nicely said everyone. May God grant them peace and love through this devastating time.
If God wanted them to have peace, she would not have sent an earthquake. Deities have nothing to do with it. It's plate tectonics and the inevitability of earthquakes due to their movement.
what is your problem....you don't have to have a belief system...but you have no right to belittle or tear down someone who does....where's your tolerance Wimpy.
Scott, again I am going to say what is your problem. Just because you don't agree with someone elses beliefs doesn't mean that you should comment on every last person on this page that wants to bless these people and tell them that their beliefes are incorrect. Linda is right, Chris is just being a good person and leaving a nice comment for these people. Maybe you should join the Japanese and we will see if you begin to beg for God's help.
And again.. why are you saying "She"? God is not a women.
Scott-
Do you just come on here to tear down people's belief systems? If believing in God or a higher power gives them strength through this terrible disaster, then why not let them have it? They've lost everything else. Why take this away too?
Scott please, do you ever give it a rest? I'm getting some strong 'anti-deity' impressions from you and your like-a-clock commentary following ANYTHING that mentions God. We live in a broken world. Heck that's one of the fundamental teachings of the Christian God. Crap happens. Jesus even said; "Do you think the tower that fell on them (Gentiles) hit them for any particular reason?" People die in a broken world. God doesn't need to cause any of it because it's going to happen. As is; God has been able to help enemies (China and Japan) set aside their differences and come together to help each other. Will it last? I don't know. But the fact it's happening is incredible, by itself.
You seem to imply that the moving of these plate tectonics all is due to there being no God; So by that logic were a God to exist they wouldn't be moving. Why? Is your defintion of God the "God is real thus nothing bad can happen"? I don't understand why people seem to think: God exists so bad things aren't supposed to happen. Or God can't exist and so bad things are going to happen? That's illogical. Better yet, that's pure selfish-humanity. You're so convinced that God has to fit YOUR definition that the second He doesn't you write him off. But I don't recall you being made the Creator and Definer of God.* All you are is human. A finite spec of Creation, just like the rest of us. If you disregard a deity because it doesn't conform to your own 70 years of morality then you truely have alot more to learn.
The existance of a God does not require that our laws of physics and the Galaxy come to a halt. It only implies that there is a Someone well aware of what's comming and using what happens for Good. As it says, "all things work for the good of those who love Him" and further on: Hebrews 6:17.
*God is referred to as a He, but I don't believe He actually has a sex. It's merely as a Father figure that he is much easier to define.*
I do believe the "problem" is with so many of you who come out here and angelically praise the Japanese like you do; simultaneously, you have a wreckless disregard for what they and their ancestors have historically done. Don't even go there in telling me that "a people cannot be blamed for the mistakes of their forefathers" because those same mistakes continue to be made today when Japan and the Japanese people of TODAY have never apologized or offered any sort of reparation, the way Germany has, to countless millions of people. The Japanese also omit and distort facts of what exactly took place during the 1930s and '40s: Japanese texts and educators continue to teach their children TODAY that World War II was "caused by America" and "the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are evidence that America was the aggressor." My sister spent a good deal of time in Japan and took many notes; she's also fluent in Japanese. So when you come out here and speak so incredulously about them, that they can't possibly do any wrong, and are the most "honorable" people in the world, etc., etc.: You only add salt to the wounds of many of us who know better and/or have our own forefathers who either were, or a combination of being, maimed, tortured, terrorized, humiliated, beheaded, raped and MURDERED.
Well, it is obvious that Scott has a problem with our belief and love for God our Father and Jesus Christ our Saviour. So this is what we should do for him. Pray for him and ignore is hurtful comments. As it states in the bible, Christ followers will be persecuted, mocked and laughed at. So be it. Thy will be done.
How the hell do you know that God is not a woman?
Who says God has a gender at all?
I think there are a tremendous number of lessons to be learned by recent natural disasters.
From Christchurch.... to pitch in. What I recall most from the news was not the death and devestation which happens with all such disasters but the pictures of the students out there in neighborhoods helping to clean up within days. How often, or even at all, do we see that immediate group effort here in the US when disasters on such a large level occur.
From Japan.... that even with intense planning and focus there is still a lot to learn. News organizations and the public harped on the US Feds and state gov`ts after Katrina and Rita for it taking so long to get food and water to the survivors, to reestablish utilities and to find the dead. Yet four days on and the same problems are occuring in Japan who are so focused on disaster prep and response that they even issue safety hats to their population. We have gone away from the civil defense mentality of the 50's and 60's where you and block reps and neighborhood reps, locations identified for disasters, food and water stored in locations, etc. Of course, perhaps the latter makes little sense if it were to be destroyed but certainly the concept remains viable but perhaps outside the primary strike zones. We are so cost conscious that we don`t want to pay the cost of warehousing, stocking and cycling (limited life) materials through the locations.
Yet there is still mass confusion from the outside looking in there in Japan. Shock perhaps. The overwhelming massiveness of the destruction and thus the need. Insufficient planning that took the macro response down to finer detail. Stocked warehouses? More contingency planning with more what-ifs. On a global level because we pretty much know who responds to what and when in todays world.
I don`t know the answers but Japan is probably the first one to be looking at for lessons learned. Look to Japan and NZ on how populations can respond. Didn`t see people helping clean up after our disasters. Just scheister clean up companies coming into rip people off (not all but enough to give bad reps) rather than volunteers moving in to shovel and pick up debris. Looting. Need I say more. No well structured lines for the US but enough people coming in to make false claims that is what the world remembers about the US personal response to disaster. I'd like to think we can do better.
There were lots of people helping to clean up after our diasaters - and not just the giving of money which is 'easy' - and many did that, but people and even the state of Texas opened their homes (state) and or gave/loaned cars and homes, food, clothing, jobs etc to people in need after the hurricanes of 04. Help was extended on a very personal level. I know of churches and individuals who responded with'boots on the ground' helping to dig out and rebuild - some for months at a time.
all you really can do is pray that the ones alive find their loved ones and the ones long gone find their way to a better place
Amen.
Everybody trying to sound smart,? I've read hundreds of comments. Most from arm chair know it all's. None of you have a clue of anything!!! Just blowing smoke and getting in the way! Grab a shovel and dig a hole to hide in our turn may be next! It won't take a 9.0 to bury America. Just a couple like we had in the early 1800's will do the trick. [ Watch for Yellowstone to start boiling soon. Or The big one on the west coast. Even the mid-west has huge faulys that can do America in. And there is no help anywhere for us. I live by the ten two letter words idea! [[ If it is to be - It is up to me!]] I won't be sitting over a fault line when we get hit. Nor along the ocean.
Actually there ae ways to be better prepared in all areas where major catastrophies occur.
Fatalism seems to take hold of most people. They are sheep in the hands of the rich and powerful and are told that they should accept all fates.
Even if you are poor you can plan better. If you have to get together and make steps up the mountain , have boats near by. Anything beats just doing nothing and acting surprised at a Tsunami, knowing you live on an island?
Whenever some great natural disaster like this happens, half the people break out in song to the magical being in the sky.
The human being really is a strange creature.
Where's all the looting in Japan? I thougt whenever a natural diasater occurs -- like New Orlean's -- there's people shooting at helicopters, looting businesses, running down the street with TV's, etc.? Is this only an American phenom?
MR: Yes, it is an American thing. We are all so self involved that whenever a crisis happens, we only think about ourselves and how much we can gain from someone else's misery. It's a sad state of affairs, I know, it certainly wasn't like this when I was growing up in the 50's. Seems our younger folk have never been taught to have compassion for victims of disasters....very sad. The Japanese, on the other hand, are very polite people and care very deeply for each other's individual rights....something we need to learn again.
I knew it be some idoit to compare New Orleans reaction to Japan, guest what MR-392541 you it!
Yes, it's something about the lack of looting and violence in Japan... and also sad to say it would not happen here...says a lot about the culture difference of the two countries...and Barbara, it's kinda hard to to notice...be a idiot not too..
Our schools are, apparently, pretty bad at teaching science.
Global Warming is a fact accelerated by human activities. Scientists worldwide attest to it, and they are certainly as aware as non-scientists of the folk "wisdom" and propaganda against the scientific conclusions drawn from measuring and studying diverse aspects of the earth and its atmosphere.
Seed companies in particular, which have a lot to gain by accurately assessing Global Warming, have redrawn their planting maps in order to take the fact of Global Warming into account. Could anything be more persuasive than that?
So tell me, did "human activities" cause the ancient earthquakes and melting glaciers that formed most of the world's present topography?
Tina,
What on earth are you talking about? Ancient earthquakes have nothing to do with the current observed rise in global temperature. Yes, there is cyclicity in warming and cooling cycles, but the fact is it is the current rate of change that has all climate scientists in agreement.
Man plans - God laughs.
He doesn't laugh. He sighs.
Then he kills a few people.