Saturday, March 12, 2011


EARTHQUAKE UPDATES   ++++

Thanks and embraces for all your kind messages-- We are all fine, no evidence of quake up here on the mountain, but Kasumi, who lives near the shore up north in Ibaraki, texted that she'd been at home while the girls were at school when everything in the apartment crashed to the floor-- no electricity, no water, she rode her bicycle to pick up the girls at school, all the kids there were milling around not knowing what to do, Tatsuya, K's husband, had to walk about 6 hours to get home, they had to sleep in their van, no water, no food, can't easily go back into apartment cell phone battery prob fading as they run out of gas, just texted her this am to find out whats up, awaiting reply while watching images on tv of tsunami and after effects-- chilling; now a possible reactor meltdown about 30 km from there; will update with details as they arrive... Hugs to you all...
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No word back from Kasumi yet... the com networks must be far overloaded... I felt the quake at the office in Osaka, far south of the epicenter in Sendai, the building swayed for a long time, not the usual few seconds... then again ... and again... Been here 40 years, never felt that type of quake before... ominous... more later

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8:50 am - Still awaiting word from Kasumi... seeing those videos of the tsunami right near where they live, 10 minutes from the ocean and sleeping in their car, hope they were able to drive away somewhat but roads jammed from what I understand... don't want to picture it...  Quake was magnitude 8.9; most powerful in Japan's history

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10:08am - Text fm Kasumi that they didn't sleep all night, too cold... and too dark to go back into apartment, got a bottle of water from roving assistance people, so she and the girls huddled in the van... Tatsuya arrived home at 10:30 after walking from work 7 hrs away, morning came they went into apt and got some blankets etc. chaos in there, possibly structurally unstable in re continuous strong aftershocks... at dawn they were all evacuated, drove to high school gym, roads heavily damaged... still no utilities, no food so far... nearby reactor still uncertain - Headline says Japan may have hours to prevent nuclear meltdown, unthinkable - that be a whole new half-life ballgame for this nation -

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12:40pm - No further word from Kasumi-- hope they can drive out of there soon--  At the compromised nuke plants a few kms away, because its now too dangerous  to do close-up meltdown-preventive work, the fixers are sitting around at the perimeter trying to figure out what uncertain step to take next, before there's nothing anyone can do (last emergency steam release from a reactor was at Three-Mile Island, btw)... 4000 people evacuated from that neighborhood so far, as the circle widens... 3km...10km... ???km... people seem to be returning to their mountain houses up here... we wait for news fm Kasumi family... wish I could drive there with water, food and wet masks... remaining roads jammed... we gotta try something... going out now, be back...





23 comments:

Dalene said...

So happy to see your post today! Have been checking your blog since late last night (PST) when we watched the live news reports coming from the coastline of Japan. Hoping Kasami and family can make it up safely to where you are -- and when you can will you please post to let all of us know the best way to help. Our hearts go out to everyone in Japan. Dalene

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Glad u r allright...btw was the reading right? our news here said it came in at 8. something... Hope you hear more from your friend...
BTW, did u hear about the Hawaiian islands dealing w/an impending tsunami? If not, turns out, it wasn't what they had expected from what they were told..

Elsa Louise said...

...yes, thinking of you and yours. Thank you for the update. All best wishes from Northern California where the tsunami did not strike as severely as was feared it might. We are so terribly sorrowful for Japan.

Rob said...

Glad you're all okay.

MsB said...

Keep us posted on Kasumi and family. We have been thinking about her. My heart is full for everyone.

DJ said...

I have been praying for the people of Japan all day, and now that I know the situation with you and your family I will add you to my list. I sincerely hope you hear good news from Kasumi soon!

Richard Cody said...

I don't know you well, to say the least, but I have been following your blog off and on for years now. You were one of the first people I thought of when I heard the news. My best to you and prayers of safety for Kasumi.

ruikalla said...

Thought of you and your loved ones when I heard the news. Prayers that they are safe. Holding the people of Japan in my thoughts.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Heard about the radioactive plant... apparently they are thinking of letting the fumes out into the air since the plant is damaged... Had u heard the same? Its hard to tell if what we hear here is what is actually going on... I remember CNN making more out of the Hawaii earthquake that happened a few yrs. ago.

MsB said...

Hurray that you heard from her. Let me know if they need anything at all.

AnnMarie said...

Have been thinking about you all day. Glad to hear you are okay and hope things improve for Kasumi soon.

Jessica said...

So relieved they are out of that van and in a shelter - and that they have WATER! Very worried about the nuclear situation - watching closely - love to you all - lots of prayers being said! xoxoxo...

Chancy said...

My heart aches for you and your family. Glad you are safe on the mountain but I am terribly concerned
for Kasumi , the girls and her husband. I immediately thought of you when I learned of this disaster.

Holding you and yours in my heart and prayers.

Cynthia Shearer said...

Great to see your post; glad you guys are all right.

marianne said...

Thank you for taking the time to post. Sending love and prayers...Like the others, I will keep checking in too.

Mary Lou said...

Oh MY! The news about the reactors is sickening. Glad the twins and Kaya are ok. Let us know how we can help.

vegetablej said...

Take care -- hoping for a good outcome for the two compromised reactors and the safety of you and your family.

Canadian and American news (CBC and CNN) have around the clock coverage of the situation and rescue efforts and there's a Google Crisis page with some emergency numbers and a "People Finder" here:
http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

Tabor said...

My hearts in my throat. Take care on your travels.

Mage said...

Thank you so much for the updates. We are glad you are ok, and I hope soon that your family can remain safe at the shelter with food and water. I am reminded again that I need to get emergency stuff in the house. I have backpacks with meds and water in both vehicles, but not the house. You just take care of you two.

jaykaym said...

I've followed your blog occasionally for the last couple of years. I'm so glad that you and your family are safe. I can only imagine how helpless you must feel with all the devastation and no way to help. Please keep posting to let us know the situation.

J said...

Scary as hell. Glad you're save, and that your Kasumi is OK as well.

bob said...

Very glad to read your reports and find that you're OK there; prayers done for Kasumi and her family.

I just read in the NYTimes of the explosion at one of the nuclear reactors and saw they're trying to use seawater to cool the core down; prayers for everyone all around that they are able to bring it under control again.

Phyllis said...

My prayers are with you all! what a tregedy!