Magnitude 9.0 Earthquake in Japan (東北地方太平洋沖地震)

The 11 March Sendai earthquake and tsunami (東北地方太平洋沖地震) wreaked much havoc. If it had taken place further South near to the populous Kanto Plain, the damage and loss of human lives would have been much greater. I feel very sorry for all the damage and loss, and I am aware that the loss of human lives was very much mitigated by excellent warning systems, which enabled people to escape to higher ground before the tsunami's onslaught. About 10 minutes of time bought by the warnings would have enabled many to run to higher ground. But if you were on flat farmland near to the coastline, you may not escape. Perhaps there wasn't any concrete buildings tall enough for you to run up to. I can only imagine the unspeakable terror experienced by the farmers as the tsunami waves came forth.
The picture above shows the tsunami inundating large areas near Sendai.

The rows of vegetable greenhouses were simply overwhelmed by the wall of water, carrying mud, debris and houses. I can only imagine how the farmer, who may not have heard the warning via mobile phone/siren, may have been still tending to his beloved crops that afternoon. Perhaps the earthquake had worried him, if the irrigation for the plants were still functioning.

The farmland would probably not be arable for a long while, with the salt water and debris tainting the good soil. I can only fear the worst for people who did not manage to escape in time. :( Even if they survived in a corner of a sturdy house, the waves would have brought them out to sea again.

There is a coastal town, Minami Sanriku, which was completely inundated by the tsunami waves. There is a certain poignancy when I knew about it. Coastal towns in Japan were seared into my memory through Japanese movies such as "Crying Out Love, in the Centre of the World" (在世界中心呼喚愛). Beautiful places where human lives played out with its necessary joys and pains.

When I heard about the coastal towns in Miyagi-sen being washed away in the tsunami, and the resultant losses, it struck a deep chord in me.

In Minami Sanriku(南三陸町), much of the town was washed away. More than 10,000 of its 17,000 population are now unaccounted for. The hospital remained. Apparently, more than 300 people are trapped there. The hospital was one of the few remaining buildings left.

The Shizugawa High School, that was on higher elevation, was naturally an evacuation spot for residents. They had put a SOS sign on the empty ground in front of the hospital. Given the cold and snow, I can only imagine the hardship survivors had to endure without heating and shelter. They would be wet as well, which would not help keep them warm :(

The hospital was one of the few buildings that remained intact after the tsunami. The Shizugawa High School on the other hand, was further away from the coast, and therefore less affected by the tsunami. The picture below shows the location of both places. The red arrow shows where the hospital is, and the green arrow, Shizugawa High School.
Can you imagine, that it is a lively community, with a high school full of energetic young people. Now, the high school has become an evacuation centre. I hope they have fuel, for it is terribly cold.

The video above shows the Shizugawa High School students having fun in a parade in 2006. I wonder if any of them died :(

It is painful to see all these. So many lives disrupted, so much damage. It does humble us greatly. In the face of Nature and the Greater Power, we are but little ants, albeit ants with modern cars and equipment. Even then, that does not protect us from the effects of a greater force.
We will see many images of mass destruction in Japan's coastal communities. But we must remember that there are people, just like you and me, who are affected. People who feel, who love, who rejoice, who feel pain and sadness. The Japanese government will help them, without a doubt. But let us remember the people, the individuals, who may have lost friends, relatives, or family members, in our prayers. The picture above shows a family leaving Minani Sanriku. :(