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8.9 Earthquake Hits Japan Followed by Tsunami — U.S. Cities Issued Tsunami Warning

Japan was hit today with its most powerful earthquake in 100 years — followed by a series of aftershocks and a massive tsunami. (Here is a video)

The quake’s epicenter was 373 kilometers (231 miles) away from Tokyo and at least 30 aftershocks have been recorded. Four million homes had no power in Tokyo and surrounding areas.

Dozens are already reported dead. My only hope is that fatalities will be dramatically reduced by the level of preparation and sophistication of the Japanese. On a trip to Japan a year or so ago, I was told about their preparations for such disasters and I was very impressed. The government has implemented building codes to reduce the dangers from earthquakes and, as an island nation, has spent considerable time working on the dangers of tsunamis.

Source: CNN

24 thoughts on “8.9 Earthquake Hits Japan Followed by Tsunami — U.S. Cities Issued Tsunami Warning”

  1. I think that Glenn Beck is a cautionary tale showing why ignorant bigots shouldn’t speak… (or be given TV shows).

  2. Well, he may not be Pat Robertson, but he is just as crazy:

    Glenn Beck: Japan earthquake could be ‘message’ from God to follow the Ten Commandments
    BY Meena Hartenstein
    DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

    Monday, March 14th 2011, 6:17 PM

    Drew/AP

    Glenn Beck hinted on Monday that the earthquake in Japan is a ‘message’ of some kind. Related NewsJapan’s oldest person dies at age 113$180B price tag put on Japan’s disasterHots for more U.S. nuclear plants coolsJapanese prime minister calls disaster the biggest since World War II as rescue efforts continueChina surpasses Japan as world’s second biggest economyRuiz: Immigration critics use lies to demonize
    Glenn Beck says Japan’s earthquake might be a “message” from God.

    “We can’t see the connections here,” he said on his show Monday. “I’m not saying God is causing earthquakes – well I’m not not saying that either!”

    “What God does is God’s business,” Beck continued. “But I’ll tell you this…there’s a message being sent. And that is, ‘Hey you know that stuff we’re doing? Not really working out real well. Maybe we should stop doing some of it.’ I’m just saying.”

    Beck continued trying to make a connection between human behavior and the natural disasters that have wreaked havoc in Japan, even casually mentioning “radical Islam” before revealing what he called “the answer.”

    “The answer is, buckle up!” he said. “Because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

    In light of the disasters that have devastated Japan, the Fox host stressed people should follow the biblical Ten Commandments, or what he referred to as “10 rules of thumb.”

    “What do you say we start doing those things?” he asked. “Because the things we are doing really suck. And they’re not getting better.”

    Beck isn’t the first right-wing pundit to imply that a natural disaster is punishment from God.

    In April of 2010, Rush Limbaugh suggested President Obama’s health care bill had launched the volcanic ash explosion that crippled Europe.

    “You know, a couple of days after the health care bill had been signed into law Obama ran around all over the country saying, ‘Hey, you know, I’m looking around. The earth hadn’t opened up. There’s no Armageddon out there. The birds are still chirping,'” Limbaugh said on his show. “I think the earth has opened up. God may have replied.”

    Read more:

    http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2011/03/14/2011-03-14_glenn_beck_japan_earthquake_could_be_message_from_god_to_follow_the_ten_commandm.html#ixzz1GhPdsDzl

  3. From Yahoo/Associated Press (3/14/2011)
    Japan utility: Nuke fuel rods fully exposed again
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake_nuclear_crisis

    TOKYO – A Japanese utility says fuel rods at a troubled nuclear reactor were once again fully exposed hours after authorities were able to stabilize a similar emergency.

    Tokyo Electric Power Co. says the exposure happened at Unit 2 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant because a steam vent wouldn’t open Monday, causing a sudden drop of water.

    That reactor and two others at the plant are dangerously overheating and authorities are racing to prevent meltdown.

    THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

    TOKYO (AP) — Japanese officials say the nuclear fuel rods appear to be melting inside all three of the most troubled nuclear reactors.

    Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Monday: “Although we cannot directly check it, it’s highly likely happening.”

    Some experts would consider that a partial meltdown of the reactor. Others, though, reserve that term for times when nuclear fuel melts through a reactor’s innermost chamber but not through the outer containment shell.

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