Japan rocked with 8.9 earthquake.

[Freedom]

And now a volcano has erupted, in the south of Japan.

Those poor people!

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,2486939.story


Sunday's eruption, which was the biggest volcanic activity in Shinmoedake in 52 years, caused widespread destruction and panic. The blast could be heard for miles, and shattered windows four miles away, the BBC reported. Hundreds of people fled the area as the volcano spewed debris, including hot ash and rocks, more than 6,000 feet in the air, according to BBC reports.

[mrspunkysmom]

This is so sad. I hope this stops soon for their sake. There is another tsunami warning as I type this.

[Grace]

There is another tsunami warning as I type this.

Thankfully, I just read that this turned out to be a false alarm.

[ChrisH]

And now a volcano has erupted, in the south of Japan.

Those poor people!

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,2486939.story


Sunday's eruption, which was the biggest volcanic activity in Shinmoedake in 52 years, caused widespread destruction and panic. The blast could be heard for miles, and shattered windows four miles away, the BBC reported. Hundreds of people fled the area as the volcano spewed debris, including hot ash and rocks, more than 6,000 feet in the air, according to BBC reports.

That report is from the beginning of February.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12331811
I cannot find any recent report about the volcano on the BBC site, although there are other reports of a fresh eruption on a few sites across the web.

[pomtzu]

This a.m., ABC is reporting over 10,000 confirmed dead, and the numbers continue to rise.

Continuing prayers for this nation that has been dealt such a harsh hand.


ETA: This probably is an incorrect figure, since I'm not seeing that reported anywhere. Perhaps the reporter added one zero too many, as 1000 seems to be more accurate.

[pomtzu]

Blue:
You are trying to compare apples to oranges. Yes, there were many more lives lost in Haiti and Indonesia, and the events there are probably not what you might refer to as world changing. But - were either of these considered big players in the world economy? No!!! Therein lies your difference. The loss of even one life is tragic, and I'm not downplaying the tragedy of Haiti or Indonesia, but it is, what it is. And even tho the loss of life will be far less in Japan (hopefully), the destruction that this industrialized nation has endured, will be felt worldwide for a long time to come. IMO.........



Richard:
L.A. would not fare well in the coping department. It might not be as bad as NO, but it would NEVER handle the tragedy as Japan has so far. Again - IMO.......

[blue]

Blue:
You are trying to compare apples to oranges. Yes, there were many more lives lost in Haiti and Indonesia, and the events there are probably not what you might refer to as world changing. But - were either of these considered big players in the world economy? No!!! Therein lies your difference. The loss of even one life is tragic, and I'm not downplaying the tragedy of Haiti or Indonesia, but it is, what it is. And even tho the loss of life will be far less in Japan (hopefully), the destruction that this industrialized nation has endured, will be felt worldwide for a long time to come. IMO.

Im comparing loss of life from one natural disaster to another, that is all.

The Japanese are very resilient, they have proven that over and over again. Because of this there has been so little loss of life compared to their population. After WW2 they rebuilt to where they where even with the restrictions the Allies put on them.

So again I may have been wrong about this being a world changing event. Japan could rebuild to be even more technologically advanced then they where before the earthquake.

[wombat2u2004]

The Japanese are very resilient, they have proven that over and over again. Because of this there has been so little loss of life compared to their population. After WW2 they rebuilt to where they where even with the restrictions the Allies put on them.

So again I may have been wrong about this being a world changing event. Japan could rebuild to be even more technologically advanced then they where before the earthquake.

Yeah, I have to go with that to. This won't be like the Katrina aftermath.
The Japs will fix it all up in no time.

[wombat2u2004]

Not good news....
Reactor No.2 blew this morning.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...=feeds-newsxml

[pomtzu]

So again I may have been wrong about this being a world changing event. Japan could rebuild to be even more technologically advanced then they where before the earthquake.

If there is any safe land left to build on. Okay - that's an exaggeration - but this whole mess with the nuclear reactors~~~~~well, it just keeps getting worse!

[wombat2u2004]

If there is any safe land left to build on. Okay - that's an exaggeration - but this whole mess with the nuclear reactors~~~~~well, it just keeps getting worse!

Hey, you've got your very own nuclear reactors built straddling the San Andreas Fault to.

[wombat2u2004]

ETA: This probably is an incorrect figure, since I'm not seeing that reported anywhere. Perhaps the reporter added one zero too many, as 1000 seems to be more accurate.

I don't think so. Because of the population densities in those areas, I'd say the death toll will rise much greater than 10,000. Just my opinion from seeing the aerial shots of the scenes. I hope I'm wrong.

[pomtzu]

I don't think so. Because of the population densities in those areas, I'd say the death toll will rise much greater than 10,000. Just my opinion from seeing the aerial shots of the scenes. I hope I'm wrong.

I don't doubt that, but they reported this a.m. that it was already that high. This was a verbal report that I heard, but I don't see it in print anywhere.

Sorry I confusigated you........

[Karen]

Sadly, the difference between the two figures is "confirmed" deaths, as opposed to likely deaths. I wouldn't want to jobs of the people who are having to count and identify all the bodies washing ashore in the northern prefectures, but I also know how important that job is for those loved ones anxiously waiting for some word of their family's fate.

[IRescue452]

I don't know that we'd have such a panic about food. I mean, we tend to stock our homes up here. Some people in parts of Japan, on the other hand, don't have huge fridges in their apartments and houses because they're always on the go. Plus we have tons more land space as our own country than they do in Japan. We have lots more options for food coming from elsewhere within the counry. Imagine how much food is within their island nation on any given day as compared to how much is within the continental US.