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.
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