Article+of+Japanese+disaster

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The Disaster In Japan
The numbers of the following paragraphs correlate to the questions for this same lesson plan (next link, one page back) [|//Yn Gymraeg//] 1. On Friday 11th March, the world stood and watched as terrifying and emotional scenes of destruction hit television screens, internet news sites and live feeds across the world. At 2.46pm local time (5.46am GMT) an 8.9 magnitude earthquake had struck off Japan’s North East coast, approximately 250 miles from Tokyo at a depth of 20 miles. The quake has been declared the strongest to hit Japan since records began 140 years ago. 2. According to [|UPSeis], an educational site for seismologists, a magnitude 8.0 or greater earthquake is classed as a ‘Great Earthquake’ and it is estimated that these natural disasters only hit once every 5-10 years with devastating effect to the communities living near the epicenter. The largest recorded earthquake was the Great Chilean Earthquake of 1960, which had a magnitude of 9.5. The BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo said: "Buildings swayed... I was in the street, it was like walking across the deck of a ship at sea. People were shocked, some dropped to the ground in fear". Similar reports were made by local residents: "The building wasn't shaking it was rolling, like a boat on the sea. It was really creepy. It made me very scared," (Jeffrey Balanag - Tokyo resident) "It was a bit surreal. The chairs and the floor started moving and swaying. I wasn't really sure what was going on. Then the building started swaying and I realised it was an earthquake." (Shola Fawehimni, from Hokkaido's airport in northern Japan) // Quotations courtesy of [|BBC News] // 3. But the destruction did not end here. The earthquake itself triggered a devastating tsunami with waves measuring up to 23 feet along the northeastern coast of Japan, near the coastal city of Sendai. Police have said that up to 300 bodies have been found in Sendai so far, although these numbers are constantly being updated. You can [|follow the live, minute by minute coverage of the disaster on BBC Online]. Images of fishing boats riding giant waves, crashing against buildings and downing power lines; the flaming inferno of the Ichihara oil refinery, resembling a mushroom cloud as flames hit the air; the quick and steady creep of water as it melts over the shoreline; these are images that have burned into our minds in such a small amount of time. Twitter users have reported moments of pure emotion as people stop in the streets to watch the news on the large screen in Cardiff city centre, tears in their eyes. 4. Although a giant relief effort is in full swing, with the military mobilizing thousands of troops, 300 planes and 40 ships to aid the victims of the disaster, it is estimated that up to 215,000 people have fled their homes and entire villages have been swept away. 5. Tsunami warnings have been issued for virtually the entire Pacific region. The first waves have now reached the Oregon Coast of the United States as well as Hawaii. Minor waves have also struck the Philippines, Kuril Islands and Taiwan. 6. Throughout the coverage from the morning of the 11th till the present, much worry was placed on the state of the country’s nuclear power facilities, with Japanese officials constantly updating as to the state of the factories and power plants. Sadly, despite the country’s efforts, on March 12th it was confirmed that the cooling systems (which should keep operating on emergency power supplies) had failed at two Fukushima power plants and the concrete building housing the plant’s number one reactor had collapsed. When a nuclear reactor lacks cooling, the core gets hotter, with the risk that it can melt through its container and out into the building where the reactor is housed. The hotter it gets, the more pressure can build in the container, which the reactor is in. 7. In the case of Fukushima, apparently the metal reactor container has not been damaged despite the damage to the concrete building surrounding it; but officials have ordered an evacuation zone around the plant up to a radius of 20km. Plans are being made to distribute iodine, which can be used to combat radiation sickness, to residents of the evacuation zone. 8. Japan has been struck by a terrible natural disaster, now only to be worsened by industrial catastrophe. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy in the Ukraine and now reporters are theorizing another event of similar proportions. When I was 11-years-old, our school was visited by two children from the Ukraine who had been born in the year of the Chernobyl disaster. They were the same age as me. I already knew what cancer was at that age as my grandfather had sadly passed away from it five years prior to this; but to imagine entire communities, work forces and families struck down by radiation poisoning and the various cancers it can cause was overwhelming. I could not fathom it at the time and I find it difficult to fathom it now. Japan has now been hit by three devastating events, but it is only in the fallout from such calamities that we can see the true damage done. Relief efforts will every day be uncovering new statistics and the flooding of the country will bring disease, homelessness and financial problems. At times like this many of us in unaffected countries can feel helpless but we can still show our support. 9. Many people have already adopted the [|Pray for Japan ‘Twibbon’] or changed their profile picture on Facebook in an effort to make people aware of the situation. But I am sure that by now everyone is already aware of this worldwide event. If you would like to do something more tangible then why not encourage your school to do a charity fundraiser? Collect tinned goods, old clothes, blankets etc. and send them to the people who need them more? Or just donate a small amount of money to the [|Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund]? It may not seem like much in the light of giant waves and nuclear disasters, but your small donations and efforts to help can make a difference. If you would like to donate to this fund, bring a check or cash to Ms. Anders. She will send it to the organization above on Friday.