Here Today... Gone To Hell!

This is absolutely terrifying. All thoughts and prayers to the people of Japan. I couldn't imagine something like this.


Live coverage here: http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/


Tokyo (CNN) -- An 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit northern Japan on Friday, triggering tsunamis and sending a massive wave filled with debris that included boats and houses inching toward land.

The number of fatalities was unclear, but Japan's Kyodo news reported at least 10 killed and numerous injured.

The quake prompted at least 19 countries and numerous Pacific islands to issue tsunami warnings. It was followed by powerful aftershocks that were felt in capital of Tokyo.

The quake's epicenter was 373 kilometers (231 miles) away from Tokyo, the United States Geological Survey said. But residents there continued to feel aftershocks long after the quake



At Tokyo Station, one of Japan's busiest subway stations, people grabbed each other to steady themselves. Children cried. An announcement over the station loudspeaker warned commuters to remain underground.

With bus and train lines interrupted, workers and children poured into the streets after offices and schools were closed.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan appealed for calm and said there were no reported leaks of radioactive materials from power plants.

A spokesman for the U.S. military bases in Japan said there were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries there.

The quake rattled buildings and toppled cars off bridges and into waters underneath. Waves of debris flowed like lava across farmland, pushing boats, houses and trailers.

Firefighters battled a blaze at an oil refinery in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo.

"This was larger than anyone expected and went on longer than anyone expected," said Matt Alt in Tokyo.

"My wife was the calm one ... she told us to get down and put your back on something, and leave the windows and doors open in case a building shifts so you don't get trapped."

Richard Lloyd Parry said when the quake struck, he looked through a window and saw buildings shaking from side to side.

"Central Tokyo is fine from what we see, people are calm ... and not going inside buildings," he said.

Such a large earthquake at such a shallow depth creates a lot of energy, said Shenza Chen of the U.S. Geological Survey.

It caused a power outage in about 4 million homes in Tokyo and surrounding areas.

A tsunami is sweeping across the Pacific Ocean, with a wall of water heading toward at more than a dozen countries.

An earthquake of that size can generate dangerous tsunamis to coasts outside the source region, the National Weather Service said.

Humanitarian agencies were working with rescue crews to reach the people affected.

"When such an earthquake impacts a developed country like Japan, our concern also turns to countries like the Philippines and Indonesia, which might not have the same resources," said Rachel Wolff, a spokeswoman for World Vision.

Wolff said her agency is helping people on the ground in Japan and teaming up to help others in countries along the path of the tsunami.

In Philippines alone, the tsunami is expected to hit in the early morning and the government has ordered the evacuation of 19 provinces along the coast, which could affect hundreds of thousands of people

Authorities in at least 20 countries and numerous Pacific islands issued tsunami warnings, the National Weather Service said.

The wide-ranging list includes Russia and Indonesia, Central American countries like Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica and the U.S. state of Hawaii, where warning sirens were sounded in the morning.

The tsunami could cause damage "along coastlines of all islands in the state of Hawaii," warned the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property."

Tsunamis are a series of long ocean waves that can last five to 15 minutes and cause extensive flooding in coastal areas. A succession of waves can hit -- often the highest not being the first, said CNN meteorologist Ivan Cabrera.

The quake was the latest in a series in the region this week.

Early Thursday, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 struck off the coast of Honshu.

A day earlier, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off of Honshu, the country's meteorological agency said.

The largest recorded quake took place in Chile on May 22, 1960, with a magnitude of 9.5, the USGS said. Thursday's quake was the fifth-strongest in the world since 1900, the agency said.

Damn, just reading about it. Horrible news, the pictures from Japan are just stunning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R4mvC3s05o


And now they say they are expecting more earthquakes, even worse than the 8.9 one.

Terrible - awful to see the destruction and the speed of the tsunamis in this footage, totally devastating.. 

Im not religious but this is some end of the world type stuff. U have all the dead birds and fish thing.... The wars, the natural disasters. tough times we are living in.

Yeah, let's relate everything bad that happens to the "end of the world theory" crap.  ::)

thank you.

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.

@suntorytime
I hope and pray that you and your loved ones are well and safe.

Totally awful :(


Now confirmation of radiation leakage too.


My thoughts go out to everyone near to this, so tragic

Just horrible and sad.

Lost for words.... Seeing the news footage it's like you're watching a movie...  :no:


Help Survivors of Japan's Earthquake:
http://www.redcross.org/  (http://www.redcross.org/)
https://www.mercycorps.org/donate/japan (https://www.mercycorps.org/donate/japan)
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/ (http://www.oxfamamerica.org/)
https://buy.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/buyCharityGiftWizard (https://buy.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/buyCharityGiftWizard)




/jarmo

For anyone who hasn't been in a sitaution like the Japanese, cannot for one minute understand the pain and loss felt by them right now. I almost hate myself, for being ignorant to the feeling of dispair and tragedy. I hope God, helps these poor people, and all the love in the world deserves to be with them at this time.

Makes me really sad.  :'(

Me too. The Japanese people are very resilient and I am sure they are very appreciative of the world's help at this difficult time.

A real tragedy. The power of that tsunami seen in the videos is just unbelievable. Whole towns flattened.
This brings back memories of  the events of 2004 which was really close to home.

I hope they can solve the nuclear reactor plant problems soon as well.
If anyone can pull through this, it's the Japanese.

last I read...they changed the magnitude to an official 9.0 
just awful, awful stuff.

I don't know about other countries, but at least in Finland the media seems to have forgotten all about the tsunami and the earthquake, as all the headlines are only about nuclear this and nuclear that, is the nuclear power safe, blah blah. Meanwhile people are showing their respect to the victims by protesting nuclear power on the streets, yelling how this is "the result of stupidity and greed" and making nuclear symbols with candles.. I mean.. c'mon. Show some real respect you fucking hippies.

I read today that earthquakes will continue happening in Japan until the end of June :/

I want to bump this and bring this back to everyones attention, please donate all that you can, Japan needs our help.  :'(

 I have made donations to the Redcross and a fund to help the poor animals. One of my all time fav stores in LA, Japan LA is hosting a Pray For Japan artshow where all the proceeds go to the red cross for tsunami/earthquake relief.  www.japanla.com Let's not forget that Japan is the birthplace of Hello Kitty who gives so much joy to the world.

All my support goes to Japan. Hang on!  Its absolutely sad  :'(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nYOHb28zw

^ Newest video of the tsunami.

video has been removed

Before n' After photos.. crazy!!!!!!!!!!

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

Worst part was the tragedy with the nuclear facility. Did Americans (pro-nuclear power) get a lot of press about it?

Will be horrible long-term consequenses of this accident. Shows how much of a fail it is when humans sets themselfs above nature, create those unessesary nuclear powerplants and then something like this happens. Hope stuff like this is prevented in the future.

I have to disagree, the worst part for me was the countless villages and towns, that got essentially buried in water. And these had homes, schools, shops, cars, and most importantly people and generations of the same family. No one can still comprehend what the Japanese people have been through, it's unimaginable.  :'(

The nuclear plant thing was bad, and it's very unfortunate that this has happened as well. But I don't think you can compare that to the tragedy of thousands and thousands of people dying, and losing their family and friends, all in a day.  :'(

Ok, not the worst part. That nuclear plant will have consequenses tho, for years.

That technology is really dangerous.

Consequenses media report less about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpa6wT-rriE