Hope and resilience in challenging times
Andrea
Here are some photos that summarize the situation: Massive earthquake coverage.
A personal account from Tokyo
Hi Roy,
Initially, there was fear. The first tremor struck around 2:40 PM. It felt like one of the many quakes we’re used to here in Tokyo, but it escalated rapidly. The house began to shake, and objects started to fall. I rushed outside to find the streets filled with people from all over Tokyo. Announcements were being made through megaphones while helicopters flew overhead.
The atmosphere, even outside, was terrifying—it felt like being on a boat in rough seas.
Fortunately, the Japanese are remarkably resilient, and Tokyo proved to be incredibly well-constructed. Although visibly shaken, the people stayed calm. This morning, phone services are resuming, and slowly, trains are back in operation, even amidst ongoing aftershocks that have persisted through the night and continue now as I write this at 12:41 PM local time.
There’s a red alert issued for the coasts around Tokyo and Yokohama due to potential tsunamis. The situation is dire in the northern regions, which you can follow through news updates.
Reaching out
@royale77
I was worried about you (and others). I’m relieved to hear you’re safe. Stay strong!
Messages of support
Hope and love to Japan. Check this out: Oliver Baron.
God bless Japan.
Words from a friend
Here’s the email we received from Rip, the Japanese friend who visited us earlier—some of you might remember him:
Hello my friend,
As you may be aware from the news, Japan is in a critical state following a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami.
As of now, 1,700 people have died, and 12,000 are missing. At the time of the earthquake, I was on a flight with my friend Terje, departing from Chitose (Sapporo) to Haneda (Tokyo) at 14:30. The tragedy struck at 14:46.
I was asleep and only realized the situation upon our landing at the snow-covered airport, Chitose.
Fortunately, I am safe, and my family and friends are fine. However, there are some friends I haven’t been able to contact, and I am anxious for their well-being.
We spent three days confronting the aftermath of the earthquake.
What we’re enduring now is real trouble. A nuclear power plant is in distress, which could impact our future significantly. It’s uncertain where is safe and where is not—affecting air, rain, water, land, fish, vegetables, and so on.
The uncertainties surrounding this tragedy are daunting for our future. Starting today, there will be power outages in many areas, which are expected to last until next month. The media abroad is sharing various speculations or facts that only instill fear.
Regardless, I wanted to reach out because I’m unsure if we’ll experience another quake.
Hoping this is the last of it and that Japan will return to normalcy. At this moment, this location isn’t the ideal travel destination, so please refrain from visiting!
Keep an eye on the news regarding the nuclear plant. Winds could affect areas as far as Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. West Coast, and down to Chile.
If anything occurs, we apologize in advance!
Wishing you a great day, and I look forward to seeing you soon. Best wishes for all those suffering from the tragedy.
Final thoughts
To achieve success in life, hard work is necessary—there are no shortcuts to victory. Keep this in mind and never lose hope. Once you begin your journey, don’t look back, regardless of what challenges arise along the way.
For further details, visit the original source here.