Friday afternoon 14:46, March 11, 2011:
The initial tremor was no different from most of the tremors that we experience. But it continued and gained steam, then jolted the Yebisu Garden Place Tower into a violent sway. That was from my perspective anyway, from 25 floors up in Central Tokyo...a world away from the epicentre and immediate areas of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefetures.The immediate effects of the earthquake itself, and subsequent tsunami damage to these regions has been sheer mass destruction. 6-to-10 metre tsunami waves have flushed away cars, trains, transport containers, ships, and homes. The waves have washed away entire towns and villages. Hundreds of thousands have been left stranded without food, water, electricity, and shelter.
The tsunami waves also resulted in damage and potential nuclear meltdown risk to one of several key nuclear power plants that provide Kanto and Eastern Tohoku with electrical power. At this moment, the Kanto and surrounding areas are bracing for scheduled area blackouts in order to reduce the stress of electrical energy demand. These rolling blackouts are estimated to last for 2-3 weeks.
Relief efforts and rescue crews (foreign and international) are in full swing but additional manpower, equipment and relief support will be needed. If and where you can, please do you part and donate anything possible. Support is gravely required.
The following are but very few images and footage, as broadcast by various Japanese News stations. I've refrained from posting unnecessarily gruesome images, for respect and basic decorum.
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