Friday, September 4, 2015
This blog is obviously obsolete.
We have a new blog, but we're keeping this one as an archive.
Please click here to visit our current blog.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Earthquake Update March 16, 2011
Hello All!
In case you haven't heard yet, this is what's happening on the ground here:
The earthquakes, tsunamis, and supply shortages have not directly affected the Kansai region, where we live.
All of our friends and their families have been accounted for and are okay. One of our closest friends, Tomo, was staying at an evacuation center for several days, but has since returned to her home in Sendai.
Yamagata prefecture was hit by the earthquakes, but is in the mountains, so was not affected by the tsunamis. Most of the prefecture lost power for a couple of days following the initial earthquake. Many places also lost water and sewer services temporarily.
Sendai was hit very hard by the disaster, and is still in poor shape. Sendai is a major port, and a primary supply route to Yamagata. Trains to Yamagata from Tokyo have been canceled for the time being, and access is limited via most major roads into the prefecture. Sendai airport is still out of commission.
Yamagata is currently experiencing rolling blackouts, as well as food, gas, and kerosene shortages. Most homes, including the one we're moving into, are heated by kerosene. There is also an influx of refugees from Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, and it is cold with scattered rain and snow.
While the media has been focusing on the nuclear power plants, the likelihood of a major nuclear disaster is minimal. The explosions shown on TV every 3 minutes were hydrogen gas - not nuclear explosions. There is no threat of an actual nuclear detonation, and radiation levels are not likely to reach life-threatening levels, even close to the reactors. As you know, radiation diminishes by the inverse square of the relative distance from the source, and winds are blowing out to sea in that area. Our friend's husband is an engineer with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and has been in contact with colleagues at the Dai Ichi facility in Fukushima. He is also confident that the situation will be resolved without catastrophic consequences.
We were scheduled to move to Yamagata on Saturday, March 19, but have delayed our trip for at least one week. We have to vacate our apartment here on Wednesday, March 23, and are currently making arrangements for a place to stay until we can move to Yamagata safely. Unfortunately, almost everything we own is already packed, and we will lose internet access and cable service for a while, but we will be in a safe place.
Radiation Information:
Average radiation in Yamagata on March 15 from 9:00am to 5:00pm:
000.038 μGy/hr
Average radiation for a round trip flight from Tokyo - New York:
200.000 μGy/hr
In case you haven't heard yet, this is what's happening on the ground here:
The earthquakes, tsunamis, and supply shortages have not directly affected the Kansai region, where we live.
All of our friends and their families have been accounted for and are okay. One of our closest friends, Tomo, was staying at an evacuation center for several days, but has since returned to her home in Sendai.
Yamagata prefecture was hit by the earthquakes, but is in the mountains, so was not affected by the tsunamis. Most of the prefecture lost power for a couple of days following the initial earthquake. Many places also lost water and sewer services temporarily.
Sendai was hit very hard by the disaster, and is still in poor shape. Sendai is a major port, and a primary supply route to Yamagata. Trains to Yamagata from Tokyo have been canceled for the time being, and access is limited via most major roads into the prefecture. Sendai airport is still out of commission.
Yamagata is currently experiencing rolling blackouts, as well as food, gas, and kerosene shortages. Most homes, including the one we're moving into, are heated by kerosene. There is also an influx of refugees from Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, and it is cold with scattered rain and snow.
While the media has been focusing on the nuclear power plants, the likelihood of a major nuclear disaster is minimal. The explosions shown on TV every 3 minutes were hydrogen gas - not nuclear explosions. There is no threat of an actual nuclear detonation, and radiation levels are not likely to reach life-threatening levels, even close to the reactors. As you know, radiation diminishes by the inverse square of the relative distance from the source, and winds are blowing out to sea in that area. Our friend's husband is an engineer with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and has been in contact with colleagues at the Dai Ichi facility in Fukushima. He is also confident that the situation will be resolved without catastrophic consequences.
We were scheduled to move to Yamagata on Saturday, March 19, but have delayed our trip for at least one week. We have to vacate our apartment here on Wednesday, March 23, and are currently making arrangements for a place to stay until we can move to Yamagata safely. Unfortunately, almost everything we own is already packed, and we will lose internet access and cable service for a while, but we will be in a safe place.
Radiation Information:
Average radiation in Yamagata on March 15 from 9:00am to 5:00pm:
000.038 μGy/hr
Average radiation for a round trip flight from Tokyo - New York:
200.000 μGy/hr
Friday, March 11, 2011
Earthquake Update
An 8.9 earthquake hit the east coast of Japan this afternoon. Tsunamis are reported all over the region, including a 10 meter high wave that hit Sendai.
So far our area has been unaffected. Phone and cell phone service is spotty however, so we are unable to reach friends in Sendai, Yamagata, and Tokyo, and it may be difficult to reach us.
In any case, we are OK here, if anyone is wondering.
日本に住んでいる友達emailして下さい。 ｍ（－－）ｍ
In other news, we are in the process of moving to Yamagata. Doug will be driving with the cat on Friday the 18th, and L'Shawn and Naomi will be traveling in style and comfort on the shinkansen (bullet train) the next day.
Meanwhile, we're trying to get ready to move. This consists mostly of running around like a couple of hyperactive bees that have been chasing down sugar cubes with really strong espresso for the last week without any sleep. It is entirely possible that some of our stuff may actually have made it into some of these boxes that seem to have materialized in every corner of our tiny apartment...
-> Doug, L'Shawn, Naomi, and Chihiro
So far our area has been unaffected. Phone and cell phone service is spotty however, so we are unable to reach friends in Sendai, Yamagata, and Tokyo, and it may be difficult to reach us.
In any case, we are OK here, if anyone is wondering.
日本に住んでいる友達emailして下さい。 ｍ（－－）ｍ
In other news, we are in the process of moving to Yamagata. Doug will be driving with the cat on Friday the 18th, and L'Shawn and Naomi will be traveling in style and comfort on the shinkansen (bullet train) the next day.
Meanwhile, we're trying to get ready to move. This consists mostly of running around like a couple of hyperactive bees that have been chasing down sugar cubes with really strong espresso for the last week without any sleep. It is entirely possible that some of our stuff may actually have made it into some of these boxes that seem to have materialized in every corner of our tiny apartment...
-> Doug, L'Shawn, Naomi, and Chihiro
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