Earthquakes

I thought I should provide everyone an update from my end

On Friday, a magnitude 8.9  (now upgraded to a 9 or maybe even a 9. something) earthquake hit near the coast of Miyagi Prefecture.  This is the biggest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years.  I have been trying to follow the news, but I think I have the same information as everyone else.  The Sendai airport is flooded, there has been massive damage in several prefectures and estimates of more than 1000 deaths.   There are also some concerns about nuclear power plants in Chiba prefecture, near Tokyo and in Fukushima prefecture.  Those of you in the US watching the sensationalized news... well, I will leave it at that. 

Yes, I felt the earthquake all the way in Nagano.  My school was gathered in the gym for a ceremony and when the quake hit, we evacuated, went back in to continue the ceremony, felt an aftershock, canceled the ceremony and sent the students home early.  No, teachers did not leave early.  Teachers are impervious to earthquakes.

Then it started snowing a lot.  (apocalypse, anyone?)  Sorry, I should not make light of such a serious situation.

I went home at about 5:15, went to sleep at about 11 and woke up at about 3:30 because of an earthquake.  They have been happening continuously since, though, they are becoming softer and more spread out, so I hope I can say the worst is over.  From the news, it seems that aftershocks can continue for a month, which I suppose makes sense if we consider tectonic plates and just how if the plates shift enough to create a magnitude 9 quake, it certainly will take some time for them to shake themselves even.  "even" rather since there is always pressure down there.  

Saturday morning at about 4:30, an earthquake hit Sakae Village, which is about 20 minutes north of me, right on the border between Nagano Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture.  It was magnitude 6.7 and scared the crap out of me and everyone.  I did not get a lot of sleep Friday night. The Iiyama train line was damaged and is not running it's full course, but the trains are running between Nagano City and Iiyama.  Nozawa Onsen Village had some damage Since then, many more quakes have happened, several within Nagano Prefecture. 

I just hope that Aomori, Miyagi, Iwate, Chiba, Fukushima, and any other affected areas are fine and that the quakes stop so rebuilding can begin.

I have learned that my cellphone has an earthquake warning.  Of course, when I say "warning" I do not mean advanced warning.  Sometimes it beeps during the earthquake (yes, phone, I know) and quite often, it beeps after (thanks, phone, I will go stand the shelves up now).   On one occasion, it went off before, and then I sat there waiting and waiting (ok, phone, where is it?)

There are predictions of a magnitude 7 aftershock hitting sometime in the next 3 days.  70% chance.  Fingers crossed that it does not come.

Nagano prefecture is running low on gas, so I need to go ahead and fill my car, try to get one more container of kerosene and hope for the best.

I have my emergency bags packed just in case I need to evacuate.  I should make sure I put Gizmo into there for the time being.  (Gizmo = stuffed animal of the cute creature from the movie Gremlins...I have had her forever and she has probably been to more continents than you have.  She has also had her ears pierced, been thrown up on (and washed and dried), worn contacts(aka those little stickers you use to put on fake nails), had her eyes colored (with crayon), and had many other adventures.  You can see the value of making sure she gets evacuated.)

Unfortunately, I have become neurotic.  This weekend I went out with the other Iiyama JETs and we did normal things, but when I sit at home alone, any little anything freaks me out.  Cars driving by have become scary, and I really have nothing to complain about here.  Though I did just feel a real one (confirmed with Kim)

Ok, so that is the earthquake update.  The moral of the story is that I am fine.

In case you want to follow up on earthquakes and magnitudes: Japan Meteorological Agency

I am in "Nagano-ken Hokubu"  (hokubu meaning north area), specifically Iiyama, but if you see Nakano, Nozawa Onsen, or even Nagano or Sakae, odds are I felt it.