Japan just hit by magnitude 8.9 earthquake

What is even worse is due to all the fears of the nuclear plant and the exposure, places outside the evacuation zone but close to the nuclear plant are suffering for LACK of help from anyone. They just had a segment on the news and an aid worker was explaining that the shelter where he was only had minimal food for the people there, no bedding, no fuel, and almost no water. And he was BEGGING for help. For anyone to come up and help them, to bring just the basics.
 
Onimua said:
If you do have any doubts about it, ask yourself: When is the last time you heard a report about the relief effort and progress in Haiti? How about the areas affected by the 2004 tsunami? They were only recently brought up because of the events in Japan, but no one looks at how they're dealing with it now, months and years after it happened, and the foundations and charities that still need help with them don't get any attention except for the disaster currently happening.
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There has been one exception to that rule...Katrina. It's treated like there has NEVER, EVER been any other hurricane before or after in the entire history of the planet. And I KNOW the people of Florida who have survived hurricanes like Andrew are sick and tired of hearing about it.

Now, back to our regular scheduled program...the media coverage of Japan and how lopsided it's been.
 
I believe too that Japan has been in the new more than Haiti for the pure fact that more people caught the entire thing on good quality cameras. With Haiti I remember seeing one or two videos which stick in my mind but I think of loads from the one in Sendai. I think people don't understand the force of a tsunami until this one, to see an entire village go in about a minute (all caught on film for the world to see) is a first and its something for the media to put their claws in.

I also think universities around the world will study what has happened here, not just the tsunami but also the nuclear situation too - they have so much documentation and hope they use it well to try and figure out how to help people in the future, because it will happen again at some point and Japan needs to be ready for it. Though certainly a lot of the earthquake warnings didn't go off like expected across the country - they need to know why.
 
Crazyfruitbat said:
I believe too that Japan has been in the new more than Haiti for the pure fact that more people caught the entire thing on good quality cameras. With Haiti I remember seeing one or two videos which stick in my mind but I think of loads from the one in Sendai. I think people don't understand the force of a tsunami until this one, to see an entire village go in about a minute (all caught on film for the world to see) is a first and its something for the media to put their claws in.

I also think universities around the world will study what has happened here, not just the tsunami but also the nuclear situation too - they have so much documentation and hope they use it well to try and figure out how to help people in the future, because it will happen again at some point and Japan needs to be ready for it. Though certainly a lot of the earthquake warnings didn't go off like expected across the country - they need to know why.
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No doubt about that. Actually seeing the footage of the massive volumes of water coming in in mere seconds really defines the idea of what people think of as a tsunami. I mean we all know it's a wave of massive proportions, but I think a lot of us (myself included) think of it as a tall wave, not just a short one that has a lot of water behind it, and fail to imagine how fast they move. No need to underestimate it now.

Someone pointed out somewhere that Japan's buildings were fine during the earthquake, it was the tsunami that that did a majority of the damage after, and that when Japan rebuilds, their structures will be both earthquake- and tsunami-proof, at least as much as possible. I do look forward to seeing them rebuild and how as I find the processes behind doing so fascinating.
 
Can't remember if this has been posted before, sorry if it has, but this video of the tsunami shot from inside a car that is then struck by a wave is scary.

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Back to the nuclear plant, it certainly seems like good news this morning, with things settling down nicely, power lines installed to various reactors, some back-up generators now working, water pumping continues with about 200 workers on site now, radiation levels continue to drop - long may this type of news continue!

Re-media coverage, with the plant coming under control the media will soon basically almost drop the story, especially with what is likely to happen in Libya.
 
DoctorWatsOn said:
Can't remember if this has been posted before, sorry if it has, but this video of the tsunami shot from inside a car that is then struck by a wave is scary.

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I may be mistaken, but I believe that is actually right as this happens:

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Did that person actually make it? :( That would be a miracle.
 
I did find this a little funny. Not sure if it was a real release on not... but a short animated bit for the kids in Japan i think.

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Onimua said:
Did that person actually make it? :( That would be a miracle.
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According to the notes on YouTube he did.

Takes place Chiba Prefecture, Asahi City
0:40 Tsunami much bigger threat than the earthquake.
0:50 Showing damage to houses & roads, etc.
1:24 Showing how far water came up on house.
2:17 Driver describing feelings. Started to panic. Waves around 2m high
2:26 Afraid if leave car get sucked away by waves, waited.
2:37 Driver waited waves recede then ran away from car. Escaped to high elevation.
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DoctorWatsOn said:
Back to the nuclear plant, it certainly seems like good news this morning, with things settling down nicely, power lines installed to various reactors, some back-up generators now working, water pumping continues with about 200 workers on site now, radiation levels continue to drop - long may this type of news continue!

Re-media coverage, with the plant coming under control the media will soon basically almost drop the story, especially with what is likely to happen in Libya.
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http://cnn.com/video/?/video/bestoftv/2011/03/18/exp.arena.japan.nuclear.chernobyl.cnn
 
1421: Japan's nuclear safety agency has told a news conference that cooling systems at two of the six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are now operable, NHK reoprts. An emergency diesel generator at reactor 6 has resumed operation and a cooling pump at reactor 5 is confirmed to be usable.
 
Walter said:
Sadly, probably many here will now tell you that they are more clever than Michio Kaku.
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He's not the only nuclear physicist on the planet. The WNO, the IEAE, the NRC and other places like MIT have them as well.

He's just saying what the media wants to hear.

It may come to that but in the meantime, power is back on at reactor 2, let them do their job.

Liz
 
The Japanese police are starting an investigation into the company that owns the nuclear plant.

While yes i partially agree, it should be done, I think the timing couldn't be worse.

With thousands homeless, and people struggling to get hold of basic supplies they should focus their efforts on releif first before blame
 
I have to agree with you SLavik. ALL of their efforts should be put towards helping the survivors, imo.
Never mind the fact that there are still thousands of people missing.
Presumed dead, yes. But they could still be alive. Stranger things have happened.
 

One of the most shocking things I saw was footage of debris on top of 25-30 metre high buildings.

No wonder whole towns were razed to the ground.
 
Brogan said:
One of the most shocking things I saw was footage of debris on top of 25-30 metre high buildings.

No wonder whole towns were razed to the ground.
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I know, I couldn't believe that when they showed it. I was like WTH? How'd that get up there?
 
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