Double disaster rocks Japan

JAPAN is reeling from the double disaster on Friday which has left tens of thousands still missing and hundreds more dead.     

     The most powerful earthquake in Japan’s history, measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale was followed by a 30ft tsunami which was similar to the devastating Boxing Day Asian tsunami off the coast of Indonesia in 2004.  The tsunami swept away people, crushed cars and destroyed buildings at speeds akin to a passenger jet plane.  The human cost is yet to emerge.  The Japanese government has declared a state of emergency across the country and has already confirmed that at least 400 people have been killed.  Tragically, the death toll is this set to rise into the thousands, especially as many communities and villages have simply been obliterated by this excessive force of nature.

     It isn’t just this that has caused concern for the shocked people of Japan.  Fears have grown over a possible nuclear meltdown after a cooling tower failed at the Fukushima power station. Over 300,000 people have been evacuated in this area and yesterday, a controlled explosion took place at the plant, which has released some radioactive gases into the air.  Although there are still fears for the longevity of the nuclear plant, any reporting of a similar catastrophe following the Russian Chernobyl blast of April 1986 are wide of the mark.  After the Japanese devastation, tsunami warnings were given out all over the Pacific Ocean.  Luckily, areas on high alert such as Samoa, Hawaii and Mexico seemed to have escaped with very little damage.

     Japan is one of the best prepared countries for earthquakes.  After all, it experiences nearly 200 of them a year.  However, it wasn’t prepared for Friday’s utter carnage.  Japan lies on three plates, and Friday’s quake came because the Pacific Plate went underneath the Eurasian Plate.  This produced a jolt as deep as 15 metres, hence the strength of the earthquake and resulting tsunami.  The quake struck at 4pm Japanese local time, when many parents are picking up children from school, and workers are slowly shutting down for the relaxing weekend.  Consequently, it struck at its busiest time, unlike the morning earthquake which devastated Kobe in January 1995.  The epicentre was just off the main coast of Tokyo and had a power 8,000 times more than the earthquake that devastated Christchurch in New Zealand just two weeks ago.

     The island of Sendai was the worst hit, as the port and airport were practically wiped out by the tsunami.  At the airport, passengers ready for departure were forced onto the terminal rooftops to escape the worst.  Masonry fell from buildings in Yokohama, as workers ran for their lives, quickly realising that this wasn’t just a normal earthquake.  At Ibaraki airport, the ceiling collapsed in the departure lounge, again leaving passengers running away in sheer terror.  Two trains and one ship are missing, with hundreds aboard and unaccounted for.  An oil refinery burned in Tokyo, thanks to the burst gas and electric lines.  The ferocity of the fire meant there was little that could be done but let the refinery burn into the dark sky.  Even a meeting of the Japanese parliament was interrupted.  The floor shook and the chandelier lights went crazy, which left major politicians stunned.

     The rescue will face major challenges to deal with.  As road and rail networks have literally been paralysed, it will only make things harder.  An expert on earthquakes David Rothery insists it was the tsunami that did the damage; “This earthquake didn’t actually cause much damage.  However, it was the resulting tsunami that the quake will be remembered for.”  Since records began in 1900, this was the seventh most powerful earthquake ever, with only the 2004 Asian Tsunami greater at 9.1.  As Japan is a hi-tech and more advanced country, it is likely to get back onto its feet far quicker than lesser developed countries, such as Haiti after their earthquake which destroyed the country last January.

     David Cameron, Pope Benedict XVI and Barack Obama were among the first to send their condolences to the Japanese people who have been affected.  The USA, Britain and Russia have already pledged to send out rescue teams, should the Japanese need extensive help.  At a press briefing in the States, US secretary of state Hilary Clinton pledged her support to help Americans stuck in Japan; “Obviously, the US is offering immediate relief.  We will assist 24/7 to help those Americans stuck in Japan and the Japanese government with the aftermath.  Also, we are deeply involved with the Japanese to help control the nuclear reactor failure at Fukushima.”

     

Seeing the pictures and videos of the sheer devastation in Japan on Friday certainly shook me up, and reminds everyone of the force that Mother Nature can leave yet again on the world.  It puts all personal events into perspective, because at least the majority of us can count our blessings that we don’t suffer earthquakes in this country, unlike those citizens in Japan.  My thoughts go out to all those whose lives in Japan have simply been turned upside down.

The helpline for the Foreign Office should it be required is +44 0 20 7008 0000

New Zealand's darkest hour after devastating quake

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ESIDENTS in Christchurch and across New Zealand are attempting to pick up the pieces after Tuesday’s devastating earthquake which has left over 100 people dead.    

The tremor lasted for about 30 seconds and hit Christchurch at its busiest time, the lunch hour where many commuters meet for coffee and a catch-up.  Therefore, this earthquake had the maximum possible devastation attributed.  It measured 6.3 on the Richter scale, far less than the 7.1 aftershock felt in the same city last September.  Then, extensive damage was caused to buildings but no-one was killed and the injuries were relatively minor.  This time, Christchurch wasn’t so lucky. 

AFTERMATH: Many buildings felt the full force of the quake

Some buildings came down straightaway, after fell more gradually.  In suburbs, burst water pipes have led to flooding and landslides.  Hills have been cut in half, some other structures looking totally unrecognisable to what they had earlier in the day.  The city looks like a warzone, echoing what happened to the residents of Kobe, Japan after their devastating quake in January 1995.  As hope fades very quickly for anymore survivors, this is another example of the unexpected force of Mother Nature.

In Christchurch, there weren’t enough ambulances to get all the trapped survivors out of the squashed buildings and with hospitals all full-up, space for the critically injured found hours after the tremor became very limited.  The frequent aftershocks stunned survivors and badly hampered the attempt to rescue those buried underneath tonnes of rubble.  The country’s prime minister John Key has vowed to rebuild the town and after announcing a state of emergency throughout the country, will not bow down to the challenges ahead; “We are a resilient nation, we will not bow down to this challenge.”  The Queen has passed on her thoughts and is said to be ‘utterly shocked by the events in New Zealand.

GRIM: It is a tough job to find survivors for the rescuers

Three days on from the quake and many residents are still trying to deal with the aftermath.  At current, 113 people are officially dead, with two British tourists amongst them.  There are still 200 people unaccounted for.  Half of Christchurch still has no water supplies and around 25% of the devastated city still has no electricity.  Due to the powercuts, many supermarkets remain closed which is making food supplies very limited for some.  Petrol stations have also been badly hit, with some running out of fuel, as desperate survivors top-up.  The estimated damage from the quake is likely to break the billions of dollars category.  Structural damage to a lot of properties means that many hundreds of people remain homeless and are staying in emergency rescue centres. 

With the death toll likely to rise and many more residents still unaccounted for, this is undoubtedly New Zealand’s darkest hour.  Life in Christchurch has changed forever.

 

British nationals concerned about relatives or friends affected by the quake can contact 020 7008 8765.

Chile's Deadly Earthquake - Mother Nature Strikes Again

Less than two months after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the world was shook up again by another deadly earthquake on Saturday morning, as Mother Nature took her path again into the path of destruction.  Struck this time was the South American country of Chile, one of the wealthiest countries in the region.  One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded has left the country in shock and ruins, but fortunately, not quite in the mess and trauma that happened to the people of Haiti.

Measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale, the death toll by last night had reached at least 700 people and is likely to rise in the next few days.  The outgoing President Bachelet, who has ten days left in office, has put the country in a state of national mourning and a state of emergency.  Tsunami warnings went sent across the Pacific after the quake, reaching as far as Japan and Australia.  Fortunately, these were stood down yesterday morning and people returned to their homes, especially in Japan, who had a powerful earthquake, themselves on Friday, which recorded 7.3 on the Richter scale, but didn’t cause much damage.  So, why has the earthquake in Chile been less damaging that the Haiti quake yet was more powerful?

The answer is simple; Chile is a dangerous earthquake zone, as it is on the border of Argentina and the Pacific.  The city of Valdivia was struck in 1960 by the most powerful earthquake ever, recording 9.5 on the Richter scale and claimed 600,000 lives.  Since then, the majority of the buildings in Chile have been made earthquake resistant, meaning though the damage is still horrific, it doesn’t look as bad as it did in Haiti.  The main reason for that is Chile’s resources are far greater than Haiti, which has always struggled on a global basis.  Nevertheless, up to 17 aftershocks have been recorded in the worst-hit areas, recording the highest of 6.6 on the scale and there is the fear that more buildings will collapse because of this.

Many survivors have lost their possessions and been starved of food for two whole days.  Looting has taken place already and the Chilean Army has been brought in to try and keep things under control.  The worst hit area in the country was the seaside resort of Concepcion, where the trouble has taken place.  The capital Santiago, also took a hit, with at least 40 people dead, buildings collapsed and the international Airport shutdown.  Only the Asian Tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 was more powerful on the Richter scale than this quake in the last thirty years. 

Bachelet has called the disaster as a “catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort for Chile to recover.”  Prime Minister Gordon Brown has vowed to send out aid to the battered country, should it be requested.  Throughout the country, power supplies have been heavily disrupted, with damage from this latest disaster already estimated into the excess of £20billion.  More than half a million homes have been destroyed and 2million people displaced.  Rescue efforts have begun in a desperate attempt for the death toll not to rise.

Once again, my thoughts go out to the people of Chile, as no-one deserves this deadly disaster to strike them and I hope the public are just as generous as we were with Haiti to help rebuild people’s shattered lives in the country.  What I’m concerned about is the spate of recent earthquakes that have struck the world.  It is estimated by geologists that the Nazca Plate is moving eastward beneath the South American Plate (where Chile is situated) at approximately 8.9cm a year.  Does this mean that we will be hearing more tragic tales of this kind of horrific damage in the next few years; I hope I’m wrong but my fears are it is likely to be the case.  What can anyone do, when nature decides to cause such destruction…?