8.8 Quake hits Japan... tsunami warnings issued

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Brad just posted on Facebook, he's fine

Thanks. I can't access FB from work.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

What I had never really thought about/knew about before was how fast a tsunami can travel over an ocean. It is roughly 5,500 miles (from Japan to LA) and I think it took about 11 hours for the waves to arrive (if my memory is correct). This means the waves traveled at 500 MPH, which is consistent to what I see in a quick web search on the speed of a tsunami.

Wow.

Remember, that doesn't mean there was any water traveling at 500MPH. The ENERGY travels that fast, each water molecule transferring the energy to the next without, itself, moving very far at all. Only when the energy wave comes up against something as inconvenient as an island, or a continental shelf, does it then have no where else to go, THEN forcing the water itself to move (at a significantly slower speed).

[Stan4dSteph]

Originally Posted by Alex

I'm afraid I may not have expressed the proper concern about this when Lani woke me up in the middle of the night to talk about it.

Still waiting to hear that her mom has been able to get all the desired information about relatives in Tokyo.

I get it. I was a wreck after the Christchurch quake until I heard from my family. Not as much news/chatter here about that one though.

[Alex]

That came across wrong, I didn't mean I was fine not being concerned last night but the lack of news this morning indicates I should have been more concerned last night.

Lani hasn't yet spoken to her mom so we'd have no news regardless.

They were independent statements, Lani woke me up in the middle of the night obviously at least a bit upset about it and I pretty much said "oh, ok" and rolled back to sleep. Regardless of whatever news followed that wasn't the correct response.

[Moonliner]

Ruh roh shaggy....

After numerous "No dangers here" messages regarding the Fukushima nuclear plant, I see this:

Using Air Force planes, the U.S. government has sent over coolant for the Fukushima nuclear plant, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday. Japan's officials say a small radiation leak could occur at the plant after Friday's earthquake and tsunami.

Bolding is mine. Let's hope that's the worst of it.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by JWBear

The employee came back in. She said that sitting at home by herself, watching the news, was making things worse. She'd rather work and try and get her mind off it. I totally see her point.

Yes, especially since Japan just had another quake. 6.6 in central Japan. Jeez....

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Remember, that doesn't mean there was any water traveling at 500MPH.

Oh, I know that. But thanks for clarifying.

Still a bit mind boggling though.

[Not Afraid]

I had 2 dog walks this morning at the beach. There were so many people there looking about and not a wave to be seen. I didn't really expect to see anything since our beach faces South and there is a large breakwater, but one never knows. Our house does lie in a "Tsunami inundation zone". We are 5 miles from the ocean but about a mile from the river, hence the "zone". Now, if a 8.9 occurred somewhere off the coast of Oceanside, I'd had to start running.

[blueerica]

It will take us a couple of days. I'm less worried about family that I know is in Kyushu and in higher elevations... more worried about family in Tokyo (cousins). Haven't heard anything yet, though I know someone will call once things settle down a bit (if they do).

My grandma will hopefully hear in the next day or so.

*sigh*

[Alex]

Don't know how useful it is but Google does have a system up for people to report and others to find them:

http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=en