Tohoku Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster!!!

[Mike Oxlong]

Idiotic CNN Hostess Argues With Meteorologist About Radiation

[Kanchou]

News has come out that a female JET died in Miyagi. Very, very sad.

Taylor Anderson, Virginia teacher, is first American found dead following Japan earthquake, tsunami

[FG Lurker]

Perhaps the only story I have come across so far that contains no fear mongering.

[Mike Oxlong]

[SIZE="4"]Japan nuke plant crippled by 14-metre wave [/SIZE]

The monster tsunami that left a Japanese nuclear power plant on the brink of meltdown measured at least 14 metres high, the plant's operator said today.

The Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) had earlier estimated the height of the wave at 10 metres at its Fukushima No.1 plant, about 250 kilometres north-east of Tokyo.

"Now we estimate the height at more than 14 metres. We have found traces of the tsunami at such elevations," TEPCO spokesman Naoki Tsunoda said, adding that the wave was 14 metres high when it passed through the plant's parking area.

A tsunami can surge to an elevation higher than its height at the time when it hits shore, Japanese media noted.

The stricken plant's twin complex, about 10 kilometres to the south, was also hit by the tsunami but received less extensive damage.

An unidentified subcontract worker at the Fukushima No.2 plant told public broadcaster NHK that he evacuated to a hill immediately after the quake crushed an embankment and broke the arm of a crane at his plant.

"There was a backwash which left the seabed clearly seen some 200 metres offshore from the beach," he said.

"Then the tsunami approached all at once and surged onto the plant.

"The tsunami cleared high above the dyke and came rushing down to wash away one parked car after another. I was very scared," he said.

The plants were designed to withstand earthquakes of magnitudes up to 8.0 and tsunami waves of up to 5.7 metres at the No.1 plant and 5.2 metres at the No.2.

[wuchan]

[SIZE="4"]Japan nuke plant crippled by 14-metre wave [/SIZE]

Let me guess, the next comments will be:

"we planned for a maximum 10 meter wave"

"there was no way we could predict a 14 meter wave"

[FG Lurker]

Let me guess, the next comments will be:

"we planned for a maximum 10 meter wave"

"there was no way we could predict a 14 meter wave"

I remember earlier news reports stating the plant was designed for up to a 6.5m or 7m wave.

Up to the moment before the quake hit it that fault wasn't thought capable of generating a quake anywhere near M9.0. When the quake is ~1000x stronger than thought possible it isn't surprising that the wave ended up being a helluva lot bigger than predicted.

It's incredible that things have gone as well as they have, all things considered.

[Bucky]

[Taka-Okami]

For me it's a fairly simple equation. If someone is living here temporarily and has no real roots in Japan then seeing them decide to bail when the going gets tough is pretty much expected. It's good for Japan to see this too, it reminds them where people's loyalties are.

When long-term residents who have built lives here bail when things start to get tough... Those people are "fair-weather friends." Can you really trust them to stick by you if things get tough? Would you want to go into business with such a person? I think these are valid questions.

When long-term residents who are located in complete safety 100s of km from the quake or reactors bail then I start to get angry. Lots of people left Kansai due to radiation concerns. Seriously, WTF people!? Idiots.

On a slightly different (but related) note... Many people have said Japan should allow citizens to hold multiple nationalities, and the DPJ even seemed somewhat open to the idea. (One of the few things I thought they had right...) This disaster has shown perfectly why allowing multiple nationalities is a bad idea for the country: When the shit hits the fan you want to make sure your citizens are tied to the country and likely to stick around to help make things right. People who aren't willing to be 100% committed to the country shouldn't hold that country's passport. I doubt the Japanese have missed the "flyjin lesson", I don't think we will see multiple nationality here anytime soon.

I think seeing Gaijin flee is an instinctive reaction to them NOT being accepted by the Japanese. They could have gone down to Fukushima and taken a piss on the reactor and they still wouldnt be accepted as a 'we Japanese'. So, if you feel you'll never be part of the group, I think a lot of people will think 'fuck you'! I'm out!.

If this kind of disaster was to happen in Aus or even Canada I doubt you would have seen this type of reaction from 'Gaijin'.

[AML]

All of you FG's who have stuck it out in Japan during this crises have earned your "I survived the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami" merit badges. Those folks who cut and ran,. . . Well here's a story for you.

Well, I stuck by the worst of it! (first week) and still went to work.

I only left coz we got such a long spring break!

Does that count? I wantz that merit badge!!:)

[Caustic Saint]

There's lots of hyperbole in this guy's story, but it's an awesome tale just the same.

[Jack]

Idiotic CNN Hostess Argues With Meteorologist About Radiation

What an idiot that Nancy Grace.

[Jack]

It's incredible that things have gone as well as they have, all things considered.

That's what I tell everyone. Biggest earthquake followed by a biblical Tsunami in a densely populated country and you get a large number of deaths but a number that would have been significantly higher (I am guessing) in another country.

[canman]

Jack for once you and I agree on something. It is amazing, but I must tell you all of these aftershocks are playing havoc with my nerves. I decided yesterday to start teaching private students, if they lived within walking or cycling distance, and I was surprised how many wanted to study. I had two classes from 7-9pm and within that two hour space we have 6 aftershocks that had all of us looking at the swaying light and trying to decide should be bail or not.
Then last night and this morning, again didn't get a good nights sleep due to aftershocks. I try to stay calm and just wait it out, but every time that shaking starts, in the back of your mind you are thinking, is it going to be stronger, is this the one that will really do big damage? Saturday and Sunday were pretty good, could relax and sleep well, but not the past two days.

[Yokohammer]

... It is amazing, but I must tell you all of these aftershocks are playing havoc with my nerves. ...

It seemed that the number of jolts was abnormally high last night, and then this morning we have this 5+ in Fukushima. It does get a bit nerve wracking after a while, but I doubt there'll be another shake-up like the big one. I'm counting on it.

It's just really hard to type while I have my fingers crossed!

[American Oyaji]

Guys, I REALLY hope I'm wrong, but this is going on nearly two weeks. I think that quake was the precursor of THE BIG ONE.

You might think this was it. Somehow, I don't think so, but I really hope I'm wrong. I really do.

[Sarutaro]

I think seeing Gaijin flee is an instinctive reaction to them NOT being accepted by the Japanese. They could have gone down to Fukushima and taken a piss on the reactor and they still wouldnt be accepted as a 'we Japanese'. So, if you feel you'll never be part of the group, I think a lot of people will think 'fuck you'! I'm out!.

If this kind of disaster was to happen in Aus or even Canada I doubt you would have seen this type of reaction from 'Gaijin'.

That's not really fair. Many Japanese left Tokyo too. To leave or not is mainly a question of how easy it is (employee vs. company president, broke vs rich, have car or not, etc).

[dimwit]

That's not really fair. Many Japanese left Tokyo too. To leave or not is mainly a question of how easy it is (employee vs. company president, broke vs rich, have car or not, etc).

It has been very interesting watching the number long lost relatives who have been making time to do homecomings to Shikoku this spring. I can think of at least five or six students whohave experienced sudden undefinite stay visits from Tokyoites.

[Catoneinutica]

Guys, I REALLY hope I'm wrong, but this is going on nearly two weeks. I think that quake was the precursor of THE BIG ONE.

You might think this was it. Somehow, I don't think so, but I really hope I'm wrong. I really do.

Well, the scientific consensus really does seem to be that A BIG ONE is coming, if not THE BIG ONE. You FGs have probably all read how a major displacement of the big ol' plates creates all sorts of pressure down the line, and how the massive shift that caused the 2004 tsunami was followed four months later by a powerful earthquake nearby, one that fortunately didn't do much damage because it struck around a relatively uninhabited Indonesian island.

In any case, if I lived or worked on liquefaction-prone reclaimed land, I'd be implementing a get-me-outta-here plan, because any major quake would be unfold pretty much according to the Kobe script. I'd also be assessing - I am! - just how likely the neighbors' shit-shacks are likely to start fire.

[cstaylor]

Well, the scientific consensus really does seem to be that A BIG ONE is coming, if not THE BIG ONE. You FGs have probably all read how a major displacement of the big ol' plates creates all sorts of pressure down the line, and how the massive shift that caused the 2004 tsunami was followed four months later by a powerful earthquake nearby, one that fortunately didn't do much damage because it struck around a relatively uninhabited Indonesian island.

In any case, if I lived or worked on liquefaction-prone reclaimed land, I'd be implementing a get-me-outta-here plan, because any major quake would be unfold pretty much according to the Kobe script. I'd also be assessing - I am! - just how likely the neighbors' shit-shacks are likely to start fire.

Isn't most of Yokohama's minato-mirai area on reclaimed land?

[Takechanpoo]

What the heck is this biach?

[CrankyBastard]

http://sicarius.wr.usgs.gov/fragment/download.html



A slab fragment wedged under Tokyo and its tectonic and seismic implications

[Doctor Stop]

Isn't most of Yokohama's minato-mirai area on reclaimed land?

Yep. Do you know what the ironic thing is? A lot of the landfill in Kanagawa-ku, Naka-ku, Nishi-ku is the rubble cleaned up from the Great Kanto Earthquake.

[cstaylor]

What the heck is this biach?
[IMG]http://thesun.mobi/]

That article is from the 17th, back when Japanese were panic-buying all of the gasoline, toilet paper, instant ramen noodles...

[cstaylor]

Yep. Do you know what the ironic thing is? A lot of the landfill in Kanagawa-ku, Naka-ku, Nishi-ku is the rubble cleaned up from the Great Kanto Earthquake.

Glad I live farther inland.

[matsuki]

That's a BS shot. Why would they redsnot you for that post? Takes all kind I guess.....

Oh well, fuck em. More surprised anyone would side with her retarded stance.

Dude, she'll spread for you...got get it!

Dare I post her picture? Let me describe it for you first...You know those legend-based movies where some hot asian girl shaves her head and passes herself off as a man? Yeah, this is probably what they really looked like...

[cstaylor]

[Yokohammer]

Guys, I REALLY hope I'm wrong, but this is going on nearly two weeks. I think that quake was the precursor of THE BIG ONE.

You might think this was it. Somehow, I don't think so, but I really hope I'm wrong. I really do.

A magnitude 9.0 precursor?

How BIG does THE BIG ONE have to be?

The Great Kanto Earthquake supposedly had a magnitude of 7.9.
Fires were the main cause of death in that case, not the quake.

[IkemenTommy]

What the heck is this biach?
[IMG]http://thesun.mobi/]

A BRITISH mum told last night of her terror trapped and starving in the eerie ghost town that is Tokyo after the tsunami.

Keely Fujiyama, 37, phoned The Sun to describe a city in fear of nuclear catastrophe - with streets deserted and food, water and fuel running out.

This earthquake really divided people into two categories:
1. The ones that complained, packed their bags, and ran off like big French pussies (sorry Coligny, I couldn't resist!)
2. The ones that got their shit together, tried to live their lives normally, and had the strength to move on

I wonder where this Mrs. Fujiyama fit in... I can only guess.

[IkemenTommy]

How BIG does THE BIG ONE have to be?

I'll raise the bid to M10.0.

Hey, I'm just speaking in AO's defense but damn, that's one unprecedented big fuckin earthquake I tell you!

[Pearse]

This earthquake really divided people into two categories:
1. The ones that complained, packed their bags, and ran off like big French pussies (sorry Coligny, I couldn't resist!)
2. The ones that got their shit together, tried to live their lives normally, and had the strength to move on

I wonder where this Mrs. Fujiyama fit in... I can only guess.

I would add #3, those who begged their J spouses to go but wouldn't and wound up staying, sh*tting their pants. I don't personally know any...