Japan just hit by magnitude 8.9 earthquake

I was living in Istanbul, Turkey when the big one hit in 1999.

Luckily though I flew out the day before and was in the UK when it happened.
I got a call from my then girlfriend (now wife) at around 0200 telling me how bad it was and she and everyone else slept outside or in their cars for the next 2 nights.

I flew back to Turkey a few days later and there were still some large aftershocks happening then.
Over 17,000 people were killed and whole towns were lost as they slipped into the sea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_İzmit_earthquake
 
Earthquakes are so terrifying and so devastating, my thoughts go out to all in Japan and any other areas affected by the tsunamis.... just so sad the loss of life and the trauma such massive natural disasters cause.
 
Japan has just declared a 'nuclear emergency' after a nuclear reactor's cooling system failed to shut down automatically like the other reactors.
 
You know it will happen and especially in that region, but you never know how bad it's going to be, hopefully not too many casualties this time. Nuclear plants under threat would be really bad news.
 
I'm in Central Tokyo and I'm just getting home, lucky to have gas, power and internet still working here. Apartment is a damn mess... glasses broken and anything that was on a shelf or in a cabinet, isn't anymore.

Gonna clear off my bed and deal with all of this tomorrow. Good to be alive and safe, but one hell of a terrible way to spend a Friday afternoon and night.......

Still waiting to hear from friends up north, cell phone calls aren't going though - kind of hit and miss still.

(Anyone familiar with Tokyo - I work in Otemachi [大手町] and live near 上野.)
 
Thank God you guys are safe and that Al Jazeera exists. Trying to watch CNN is a joke. WTF happened to them? I watched them laughing (!!) at people trying to flee the tsunami in their cars.
 
My husband, who use to work in the nuclear power industry said they are boiling water reactors BWR, not Pressurized Water Reactor which is better. BWR's are better in this case. Plans are written with these things in mind so they are well prepared. Yes, the unthinkable can happen but it's very unlikely and Japan, unlike Russia of the Chernobyl Disaster is extremely Safety oriented.
Officials said there had been no radiation leak from the facility and that problems with its cooling system were not critical. David Lochbaum, who worked at three American reactor complexes that use General Electric technology and now works for the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the plant was probably equipped to function for some hours without emergency diesel generators.[4] The United States Air Force delivered coolant to the plant sites to assist in preventing dangerous pressure levels. The water level inside the reactor has dropped; however, the rods were not exposed.
 
I'm trying to find a video of it online but so far I can't. They weren't laughing AT the people trying to run but they were all laughy/jokey while talking about it and while it was playing behind them on screen.
 
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