The mega 8.9 earthquake that shook Japan and was followed by a massive tsunami on March 11 has the country reeling. Not to mention that the quake actually moved the island nation about 13 feet to the east.
The official death toll right after the earthquake and tsunami hit was around 400. But, with more than 9,500 missing in the state of Miyagi alone, that count is definitely going to increase. Officials are projecting nothing less than 10,000 – maybe even more.
Japan is being hit with another catastrophe as well – trouble at a nuclear power plant. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s cooling system and back-up cooling system malfunctioned during and after the natural disaster. Since then, authorities are combating the possibility of a multiple reactor meltdown and moving more than 170,000 people away from the area.
In recorded history, this is the fifth largest earthquake the world has ever seen and the largest ever to hit Japan. The tsunami that it triggered has wiped out entire villages, farmland, and no doubt ruined thousands of people’s lives. In the wake of the disaster, we are sure to see thousands of people relocate from what was once their home but is now nothing but rubble. Relief and rescue efforts are underway, but the people of Japan will be reeling from the devastation for years to come.
Jon Huser
