Author Topic: Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (Read 8928 times)

daigong · « **on:** March 12, 2011, 02:38:54 AM »

We at JPH!P send our thoughts and prayers to the Japanese people affected by this enormous natural disaster. 日本のために祈る Just surreal following the news and all the tsunami alerts across the Pacific. Stay safe and be alert!

The magnitude of the initial quake was 8.9 and it struck just off the coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. It's the biggest earthquake to hit Japan in more than a century, and one of the five biggest in the world since 1900. We've seen the shocking images of this tragic event, it's time to do what we can to support those in need:

This Japanese site: http://savejapan.simone-inc.com mission is to give real time updates on the affected areas.

Missing Friends and family
http://www.icrc.org/eng/familylinks-japan
http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?small=yes

Do what you can and donate to charities like Red Cross:

Japan Red Cross (English) *currently down*

If you prefer to call in your donation, you can do that at 1-800-RED-CROSS for English or 1-800 257 7575 for Spanish. Or, you may text REDCROSS to 90999, and $10 will be added to your cell phone bill. (US) and similar services in your country.

Visiting any local chapter of UNICEF, Red Cross, Salvation Army offices in person and online during business hours. Beware of scammers

News Streams:

NHK World stream (in english)
http://jibtv.com/program/?page=0

Japanese streams:
[noembed]http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tbstv[/noembed]
[noembed]http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-gtv2[/noembed]
[noembed]http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-gtv[/noembed]

Additional resources related to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

If you have any other links, please feel free to add.

twissie · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2011, 02:41:00 AM »

I've been watching this stream: ANNnews (Japanese)

drifoy · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2011, 04:35:56 AM »

God Bless Japan!

muppet · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2011, 06:05:36 AM »

BBC coverage in English has been very helpful to those of us who needed the news in English http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698#video

daigong · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2011, 06:31:29 AM »

FUCK. on the ANN stream:

<Dan> some of the commenters on the stream im on said meltdown started on fukushima nuclear plant
<Odango|CHU> yeah, they're saying melt down of core may be happening now
<Dan> <Odango|CHU> cesium has been detected the plant // someone just said that in the stream

kyo- · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2011, 06:49:06 AM »

please god , safe all my angels

god bless japan
hope no other quake
hope the nuclear plant problem can be solve safely

~Dan~ · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2011, 07:08:27 AM »

Here's the comments from the stream I'm watching...
Timestamp is UK time.

Quote

4:52 inuchi: marine color means "tsunami alert turned off"
4:52 DagoLaR: cool news
4:53 bassmistro: so tokyo and chiba area just went down in tsunami threat level?
4:54 DagoLaR: thats u.s blackhawks?
4:54 kyouka_mitz: The tank of the heavy oil is destroyed, and heavy oil seems to leak
4:55 reimajinn: Any word on the nuclear plants?
4:55 kyouka_mitz: The warning level of Chiba, Tokyo fell
4:59 inuchi: They said "nuclear plants DON'T have serious problem".
5:01 DagoLaR: thats if water doesnt continue to dry off the reactors
5:03 inuchi: This was building ship.
5:03 kyouka_mitz: dead and missing 1900 over
5:04 reimajinn: What do the colors mean?
5:05 inuchi: Red=BigTsunami-alert, Orange=Tsunami-alert
5:07 DagoLaR: thx for keeping up the info japan guys
5:10 inuchi: Met Officer "Please keep care for afterquake and tsunami".
5:11 kyouka_mitz: He says the level of the tsunami warning the decrease.
5:11 rootuser: 我々が翻訳に感謝
5:13 inuchi: どもども。 Thanks.
5:15 DagoLaR: melt down? thats very bad news
5:15 kyouka_mitz: Meltdown started.
5:16 inuchi: on Fukushima 1st Nuclear plant.
5:17 reimajinn: are you in Japan?
5:17 DagoLaR: if the melting reaches the under base, thats a BOOM
5:18 kyouka_mitz: The water level of the nuclear reactor seems not to fall though they keep pouring water.
5:19 kyouka_mitz: It made a mistake. The water level of the nuclear reactor seems to have fallen though they keep pouring water.
5:20 DagoLaR: havent they used the emergency cooling or plan to use?
5:22 inuchi: I'm not sure.
5:24 kyouka_mitz: Information has not entered us yet.
5:25 inuchi: I'm living in Japan(Shizuoka) but OK. Thanks. >reimajinn
5:27 reimajinn: Good, I'm very glad to hear that.
5:27 kyouka_mitz: The cesium was detected in the nuclear power plant in Fukushima according to other news.
5:28 inuchi: Kesennuma-city, today.
5:29 inuchi: Tagajo-city, today.
5:31 inuchi: Rikuzentakata-city, today. many houses are lost by tsunami.
5:32 DagoLaR: cesium is harmful for humans, on high concentration it can kill you, thats one of the elements that was on the chernobyl accident
5:33 reimajinn: NHK is reporting that there is a chance that the fuel rods melted due to cesium detected in area, reactor N of Tokyo.
5:34 inuchi: Hospital.
5:35 kyouka_mitz: Nuclear fission seems to stop according to other news.
5:37 DagoLaR: because of water cooling kyouka? thats good to hear
5:38 chabatiy: すごい
5:39 tkk253: Meltdown seems to have started.
5:39 DagoLaR: :S
5:42 kyouka_mitz: Information is complicated.
5:42 inuchi: He is professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology.
5:44 kyouka_mitz: He is speaking the wind around Fukushima now.
5:45 DagoLaR: possible contamination area
5:46 inuchi: The cesium bar was appeared 170cm? from water, but still kept inside of shell container.
5:48 kyouka_mitz: He,professor is talking that such a situation is not assumed.
5:48 DagoLaR: assumed or expected?
5:49 kyouka_mitz: He says that nuclear fission will stop. Only when cooling it
5:49 neeee: fuji tv now showing pictogram of melted reactor
5:49 JBirdsall: おきな問題ですか。
5:50 inuchi: Needed to be cool cesium in nuclear plant, but reserve power was delayed yesterday.
5:53 neeee: again
5:55 kyouka_mitz: dead 129 missing 100 in Sendai pref.
5:56 inuchi: "reserve diesel power was delayed" was unexpected circumstance.
5:57 DagoLaR: diesel to use on what?
5:57 neeee: maybe for pumps
5:58 inuchi: Yes. For cooling cesium under trouble.
5:58 reimajinn: diesel generators for power. they have lost power from what I understand.
5:59 DagoLaR: wow, so now they cant put water on the reactors? thats really bad
5:59 neeee: Russia24 reported that all 3 emergency diesel alterators are started automacially yesterday but failed after 1.5 hours
6:08 kyouka_mitz: The temperature of the reactor core is about 1200 degrees.
6:08 DagoLaR: :S
6:10 kyouka_mitz: This time, cooling water was not injected at the beginning. Because the diesel generator did not move.
6:11 DagoLaR: are they saying anything about alternatives?
6:12 kyouka_mitz: They say that cooling anyway is important.
6:13 DagoLaR: damn, if they could just put the entire power plant under the sea...
6:15 reimajinn: A professor from University of Tokyo said: "Even in the worst-case scenario, that would mean some radioactive leakage and equipment damage, but not an explosion..."
6:18 kyouka_mitz: The temperature of the reactor core is 2700 degrees now.
6:19 JBirdsall: Is　that　C　or　F?
6:19 DagoLaR: wow, more than double from before, there's no stoping now i think
6:19 kyouka_mitz: C
6:21 JBirdsall: Wow, that's almost 3000 deg F
6:22 JBirdsall: sorry, almost 5000 deg F
6:23 DagoLaR: from a documental from chernobyl i saw once, theres some elements on the melting that react violently with water, and can cause the explosion
6:23 JBirdsall: Just a large quantity of water hitting 5000 degrees will explode
6:24 DagoLaR: yep, there was something like a critical temperature point
6:25 JBirdsall: crossed fingers...
6:25 DagoLaR: being unable to cool it anymore, you can only expect a miracle
6:31 JBirdsall: I have confidence in them. If anyone in the world can figure this out it is those Japanese technicians.
6:34 kyouka_mitz: The special force of the Self Defense Forces has arrived at the nuclear power plant.
6:35 DagoLaR: lets see what they do
6:40 kyouka_mitz: The pressure of the nuclear power plant fell.
6:41 kyouka_mitz: It succeeded in discharging steam, and the pressure of the nuclear reactor fell though the radioactivity material leaked.
6:43 DagoLaR: they said how much radiactivity they just leaked?
6:44 kyouka_mitz: They have not said it yet.
6:46 DagoLaR: funny thing is they cant do any other thing to maintain the pressure but to leak radioactive steam until they can reactivate cooling
6:48 kyouka_mitz: dead=116 missing=502 in Fukusima pref.
6:54 kyouka_mitz: dead=149 missing=many in Miyagi pref. Additionally, they are hundreds of remains in Natori City.
6:55 kyouka_mitz: The resident around the nuclear power plant almost took shelter.
6:58 kyouka_mitz: It shook widely in Kanto just now.
6:58 DagoLaR: was that just a shaking on the room?
6:58 inuchi: Keep away 10km from Fukushima 1st nuclear plant
6:59 kuronekonya: yeah
6:59 kyouka_mitz: A peripheral radioactivity material is 6.7 micro sievert according to other news.
7:00 inuchi: This TV program is from Roppongi, Tokyo.
7:01 DagoLaR: metropolitan area? that was scary
7:01 alvinchua: anybody can tell me if singapore is going to be affected
7:02 inuchi: Yes. Roppoingi is center of Tokyo, but the earthquake seems smaller.
7:03 alvinchua: so is tokyo olympic stadium and nagano olympic stadium has been destroyed
7:04 kyouka_mitz: The current image is Touna Station near Sendai.
7:05 inuchi: I think Singapore is OK, because the Ogasawara area (south of Japan) has tsunami warning but not serious.

muppet · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2011, 09:45:46 AM »

bad news ........The AFP agency reported that a blast was heard and white smoke seen billowing into the air at one of two power plants which the Japanese government had placed under a state of emergency. Several workers were reported to have been injured.

Datalanche · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2011, 07:11:01 PM »

Here is MSNBC's list of resources you can donate to that are assisting with disaster relief: Link

Tuffty · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2011, 08:07:50 PM »

Well if it's any consolation, I read that any suspected meltdown wouldn't be as bad as say Chernobyl for a number of reasons, primarily because any radioactive material would be released underground. But who knows what could happen, if anything?

It's scary stuff all round and just too depressing to think about when you hear the death toll or missing person count rise every hour. My deepest condolences go out to to all those affected. As soon the UK branch of Red Cross sort themselves out, I'll happily donate money to the cause.

daigong · « **Reply #10 on:** March 12, 2011, 11:23:32 PM »

FUCK!!! looked like the whole roof blew off? Any radioactive elements be dangerous long term.

I know whatcha mean Tufft, when I went to sleep day of when the news broke it had jumped from 8 to 39. When I woke up it was 1000. Just jaw dropping

There's also TBS streaming on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/tbsnewsi#main-channel-content

Japanese 2ch cats be without heat or power, getting innovative: http://www.i-cg.jp/cf/heater/cb-jrh-2/index.html

sayumi_fan · « **Reply #11 on:** March 13, 2011, 05:35:30 AM »

This is... unspeakably horrible! What is happening this year? We started with terrible flooding across Australia (my country) but... almost no-one died. Then, the earthquake in New Zealand... and some hundreds have died there, including I believe some Japanese students. They sent a Japanese recovery team there - they were still there now, when the earthquake struck in Japan! (I believe they have hurried home to help, or they are trying to get there).

And now - Japan... and maybe thousands have died??? Maybe this will be worse than Kobe in 1995? At first I hoped not, maybe "just" a few hundred, cos the hit area is less populated. But then - images like this news video at Rikuzentakata (paste these co-ordinates into Google Maps: 39.016143, 141.629448 - just copy and paste those numbers, all together... and then zoom out on the map you get). I think thousands and thousands have died... and now nuclear reactors exploding.

Weirdly I was planning to travel to Japan for a holiday, starting in two weeks - but my work got too busy and the plan got shelved. I have never been there before. What will it be like, when eventually I do go? The Japanese people are strong and resilient, they have faced awfulness many times before. But this must rival some of the devastation of World War II... may it not be so! Ganbare, all Japan's sons and daughters, the thoughts of the world are with you.

The impact on our beloved girl groups - all their members and families - it's only a detail, I know, at this time, but they are the only Japanese many of us feel we "know" personally, so we can't help but be concerned. Some of them in H!P, the '48s or other groups must come from these areas, and have family there. We can only pray for them right now. And for all in Japan.

We must be thankful that the quake was not further south. From the way Rikuzentakata, and neighbouring Kesennuma (in the next sea bay to the south) have been hit... their harbours face the same way Tokyo Bay does... the surge would have swept right into the heart of Tokyo. As it was, being more north, the waves would have crashed into the shore at Ibaraki, and not a direct hit into Yokohama.

I have not been here. I have missed my friends here. I hope you are all well. But at a time like this, my thoughts turn to Japan, and immediately I come here. It is like coming home when there is a death in the family. Please forgive my absence, those who have been my friends in the past. I am always a wota for H!P and AKB at heart.

daigong · « **Reply #12 on:** March 13, 2011, 11:31:17 AM »

Always sayumi_fan. Once a HiPster, always a HiPster. This is How JPH!P FAM rolls, you are always welcome no matter where you been.

And no question it is mindblowing but Mother Nature happens and it's up to us to pick up the pieces, help those in need because you never know what will happen next. Be thankful for life. The Japanese people are strong and will overcome. When you see images like this, makes you think twice before you complain about a paper cut or some other shit.

Japanese aircraft carrier:

Google releases first satellite images of Japan after quake‎: http://www.atdot.net/~ko1/js/gm4.html

vegas · « **Reply #13 on:** March 14, 2011, 06:36:14 AM »

now I'm worried about nuclear, and for Japanese sendai people , really hard time for japan ...

sayumi_fan · « **Reply #14 on:** March 14, 2011, 01:29:14 PM »

Some concrete news about H!P personnel - seems most or even all are accounted for. Read here on Hello Sayunii.

It does seem that Berryz and Mano Erina were due to perform in Sendai on Saturday night and may even have been on their way there; but are safe and accounted for.

(This is from H!P official site here, translation here)

As vegas says above, though, the next worry is nuclear contamination, and there are also suggestions of another major after-shock quake sometime soon. Let's hope that guy is just wrong. But in Christchurch the big one was 5 months later. Oh god! And now also, the size of the death toll if starting to look... unbelievable.

Our feelings can only be intense for good things for the Japanese people right now. Send them all our positive energy.

nachdenki · « **Reply #15 on:** March 14, 2011, 08:35:47 PM »

Going through 2ch I found an possibly interesting link regarding radiation:
http://park18.wakwak.com/~weather/geiger_index.html
Apparently someone setup some geiger counter that logs the data and puts them on the page (not just since the earthquake but now it seems actually "useful"). The recording is done in Hino City, which is part of the Tokyo region but far in the west of it, at 101m above sea level.
So far there doesn't seem anything out of the usual, might change when the wind blows in the direction of Tokyo though (let's hope it doesn't happen in the next couple of weeks~).

edit:
There seem some low increase (I assume far from being dangerous) in the last hour or so, at the same time our local weather forecast said wind just turned the direction to Tokyo so that might be related.
Another page http://monitoring.mnf.co.jp/m-post/trend1.htm (supposedly also from around Tokyo)

daigong · « **Reply #16 on:** March 15, 2011, 09:15:39 AM »

^ wind?? oh shit...saw this pic on 2ch

man the radiation....Dangerous levels of radiation leaking from a crippled nuclear plant forced Japan to order 140,000 people to seal themselves indoors Tuesday after an explosion and a fire dramatically escalated
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110315/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake

wow, amongst all the rubble via http://twitter.com/catshouse01/status/47241170539118592

http://twitpic.com/49e07b/full

eta:

reunited

daigong · « **Reply #17 on:** March 15, 2011, 08:33:22 PM »

The strength of the Japanese people!!

translation via comment in the youtube link:

English translation: (the three elderly rescued three days after

the quake happened, from the third floor of their destroyed house)

Reporter: Are you alright?

Old man: I'm alright, I'm alright...

Reporter: What a relief...how are you feeling now?

Old man: I experienced the Tsunami caused by earthquake in Chile(back in 1960)

I'm alright, alright....Let's rebuild again!

What a courage and faith. We will prevail.

I read an article somewhere (think a Japanese kpop fan's blog) that the Chinese press praised how composed the Japanese people are during this time compared to the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. It is their nature, to take it and deal with it, said this professor on MSNBC

muppet · « **Reply #18 on:** March 19, 2011, 02:31:21 AM »

http://www.horipro.co.jp/anokanekikin.html horipro agency now organizing to raise money for relief

RoyMoy · « **Reply #19 on:** March 19, 2011, 04:34:35 AM »

Heres somewhat more level-headed coverage of the nuclear plant.
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/03/understanding-japans-nuclear-crisis.ars

I had placed an order last weekend with CD Japan and they shipped early friday on schedule...

The only thing I have to worry about now is overzealous customs people searching for radiation on my goods and slapping random custom fees on my imports.