I saw that and had the same angry reaction. Won’t someone think of the poor money?
I second all the good thoughts and hopes for Japan and our Dopers and their loved ones. Somewhere there’s a plan to be implemented to rebuild, there must be.
It looks as though, despite the terrible scenes from Japan, the tsunami threat in other countries is somewhat lower than first thought. One crumb of comfort…
It gets worse: Celebrity tsunami reaction on Twitter.
Fer FUCK’S sake.
Anyway, the Telegraph is carrying some astonishing footage from Japanese TV:
Waves approach the shore (Note: while the breaking wavefronts look ominous, and do pack a powerful punch, the real devastation is caused by the dozens of kilometres of elevated water behind the breaker that, can force the water a long long way inland).
The moment the water reached Sendai airport. That’s a plane being floated away in the background. Hope nobody was on board. 
I’m watching live Japanese footage now. It’s worse than what the foreign press has so far. Whole towns washed away completely. Confirmed 63 dead 244 injured so far.
Back home. No gas but we do have electricity.
There is a report that one of the main telecommunication lines may be down, which would account for the phone outage.
They announced an evacuation around one of the nuclear power plants. For “safety precautions.” :eek:
The preparations were much better this time. The government was heavily criticized for being caught completely by surprised by the 1995 Kobe earthquake and a tsunami a few years back.
Even NHK, the BBC of Japan, and normally a lapdog to the ruling party of the moment showed shows critical of the responses. It looks like they actually learned something.
The subways are running, but not trains, so there are going to be tens of thousands of people many hours away from home.
Our house was built 2 1/2 years ago, and built to an improved earthquake code.
Beta-chan (2 years and 5 months old) now has a new vocabulary word “earthquake” which she reports was “fun” at daycare. They had just done a fire drill last month, and were prepared for the evacuation.
I guess this quake will have a lower body count than the Hanshin earthquake (1996?) but a higher total property damage. Just because of the type of quake and the timing and tsunami this time.
hawaii is bracing for the waves now. it should hit any minute. they are watching the gauges in the ocean and it hasn’t gotten to the gauge yet.
My niece lives in Sendai. Just got word she is ok. She is in a shelter at an elementary school but she has no idea if her apartment is still standing or not.
Same earthquake as I referred to. Formally, the Great Hanshin Earthquake, popularly called the Kobe Earthquake.
Many of the people who died did so needlessly from fires or from being trapped for too long, with poor government response.
Just had another aftershock. Minor this time.
Do any of the folks in Japan have Auto’s number?
The phones aren’t working, anyway. Right now I can email but cannot connect with anyone either by land line or cellphone.
Thank you. I am so horrified by what we are watching. The problem is that it was walking home from school time so a lot of kids are missing.
Internet here is acting a bit… sludgy? Might just be everybody on the peninsula mashing F5 trying to get the latest news.
Just remembered that I know a guy stationed up in northern Japan. Never got along with him very well, and haven’t talked to him in a couple years, but I’m gonna shoot him a message just to make sure everything is kosher up at his base (if his Civil Engineer squadron is half as good as MY squadron, his base will be 100% in no time)
We’ve got a Tsunami warning here in SoCal for 8:30 AM (PST) I don’t know why they call a 2.3 foot wave a tsunami, but at least it gives the local talking heads something exciting to talk about.
According to a posting on Autolycus’ facebook wall:
Here’s hoping…
:: sends hopeful thoughts to everyone ::
that sounds hopeful, hal briston.
the news out of japan just gets worse, they reported that a train is missing in the tsunami area. there is video of a huge whirlpool off the coast near the epicenter.
Thank you for that news, Hal.
I’m in the Tokyo area too. Wasn’t too bad locally, though it was exciting enough to make us grab the baby and a go bag and get the hell outside. My building has some visible damage (cracks in a couple of walls) but it’s 30+ years old. We’re staying with my mother in law who lives in a much more modern building.
Up north is seriously fucked up. Kobe was worse, apparently, than this so far, but the tsunami damage has yet to be factored in. Probably much lower death toll, thankfully. But, there are at least 200–300 people who are reported missing in tsunami areas.
This news story claims “hundreds dead”.