Coastal Honshu underwater. Photo courtesy of The Guardian
The effects from the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan are still
being assessed, and I am traveling this morning. It is pushing five thirty, and the ride to the airport is going to be here in twenty minutes.
I could tell you about the adventure of moving my son’s stuff to Virginia Beach, but life’s little travails are not of much account against real and amazing tragedy.
Accordingly, this is in the line of a guest column from my pal Kimo, and the photo is from the Guardian, forwarded by a great friend out west.
Here are some firsthand accounts from a few U.S. Navy Officers currently stationed in Japan.
From an officer in Misawa: “Everyone here’s okay. Lot’s of aftershocks. Crazy times. No power, heat or phones in region. We finally got our building generator working and rebuilt watch this afternoon (hence NIPR access). Working to support SAR/HADR ops…”
From an officer assigned to the GEORGE WASHINGTON Strike Group: “All safe here–thank you. Yokosuka NB military and families are fine and power is unaffected on base. Ikego lost power for a long time. It was interesting to say the least. Even as a Californian, the longest earthquake(s) I have ever experienced. The quake started gently but continued for what seemed like five minutes and grew in instensity. All staff–evacuated the building three times until we assessed the main quake(s) had passed. We continued to experience milder aftershocks through the night but no longer felt we had to permanently secure the watch and abandon the building. No apparent damage to the CNJF (Commander Naval Forces Japan) HQ building.”
GW was holding quarters in the hangar bay at the time the earthquake hit. An Officer onboard at the time of the quake said at first it felt like gear movement on the flight deck but then the whole carrier began to shake and it was then clear it was an earthquake. The GW moved causing the brows to have to be repositioned back; liberty was delayed for a couple of hours. Officers also reported that water level in Truman Bay had noticeably dropped by five feet.
Yokosuka NB remained in a tsunami warning until about 2100.
Interestingly, the earthquake caused a significant tidal action in the Purdy Gym pool causing complete flooding of that area. The rest of the gym was unaffected. A very interesting experience when you go from reacting to an earthquake to immediately having to seek higher ground because of a potential tsunami.
From another officer with Naval Forces Japan: “Here in Yokosuka we had two large temblors and many smaller aftershocks, but no significant damage or serious injuries or deaths. There were power outages on parts of the Miura Peninsula, but not onboard CFAY (Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka). No USN deaths or serious injury that I have heard of. Plenty of HADR efforts starting last night.”
From a retired officer living south of Yokosuka Navy Base: “No significant damage on-base. Base, Honcho, Chuo, etc, maintained power. Heisei, Maborikaigan, Ikego & lots of other places lost power. Maborikaigan/our house got it back at 0106 this morning. Base ops are normal, although not sure if events were canx. The earthquake shut down the densha & tollways, so we had people walking home that took 3 hours or returned here to stay overnight. Cells still worked, but were clobbered.”
The reporting from NHK World continues to report that the two nuclear reactors in Fukushima Prefecture Power Plant have significant damage following an explosion on their Saturday. The back-up safety system (ECCS) has failed and they are putting sea-water into the reactor. The exact nature of the radiological leak is still unknown.
There are entire passenger trains still missing.
My thoughts this morning are of Japan, and with her people. More from Miami later.
Vic