The initial earthquake struck at 2:45 in the afternoon. The epicenter was on the northeastern coast of the island nation. Its effects were felt as far as Tokyo, hundreds of miles away. The nation not only received substantial damage from the quake, its strength triggered a 23 foot tsunami. The tsunami wreaked havoc on everything in its path including boats, cars, farmland, highways, airports, and rails.
Japan continues to feel the aftershocks. About every fifteen minutes aftershocks, some registering more than 6.0 on the Richter scale, have continued to disrupt the nation.
We are now many days past the event and the bad news continues. In addition to surmising the devastation, thousands of people are still missing. The death toll constantly increases as more people and bodies are discovered. The people are without electricity, shelter, and basic necessities. If you are lucky and have the means, you can wait upwards of five hour to purchase gasoline.
In addition, there is an ongoing threat of nuclear meltdown. Japan has invested in nuclear energy to power its nation. While a reasonable alternative energy source, it comes with concerns. Those concerns are front and center in the cities across Japan as nuclear meltdowns become a possibility. There have been multiple explosions within the plants. The crews have worked diligently to prevent dangerous levels of radiation from being released in the air.
This story is far from over. The death toll will continue to rise, the tragic tales seem to be endless, and while foreign and domestic aid will be there to help, it will be many years before Japan will be returned to it prominent state.
What have you heard about the earthquake in Japan? How should the United States help the Japanese people? What can we do here at St. Joseph’s to aid the people of Japan?
Hannah- I have heard a lot about the earthquake and all the following disasters in Japan and it is really sad. I'm not sure what the US can do to help Japan besides donating money to help them get back on track. At St.Joe's we can start a donation drive and give supplies like water,blankets,flashlights,money,etc. I think everyone should just do what they can because these poor people really need help
ReplyDeleteHannah- Oh also the US has already sent military over to help them look for people and help, which I think is really good. Also at St.Joe's we can pray for all the people there
ReplyDeleteHalle- I have heard the tragedy in Japan was massive. Lots of people were killed and still missing. I heard that they found a little baby under a bunch of debris and stuff and it was still alive. They don't have electiricy and many many people are sleeping outside. The us should send care packages to the people in Japan. Basic necessities like toothbrushes and soap-things like that. Here at St joe's we should do what we did for Haiti. WE should have the tins and collect money for them or collect items that they can use. and most of all we can pray for them!!
ReplyDeleteMorgan- I have heard about the huge earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan. It has done massive damage and continues to damage the nation. They don't have electricity and many people are left without anything. I think that the United States should help them out by sending supplies and searching for people. At St. Joe's we can collect money and supplies and pray for them.
ReplyDeleteAngie- I've heard that the earthquake was a 8.9 and that it slightlty changed the earth's axis. The videos are really scary when it shows the water destroying buildings and houses. Someone told me that the creator of Hello Kitty died in the tsunami. Some celebrities are donating money to Japan like the Jonas Brothers and Lady GaGa. I think that we should pray for the people in Japan and that we should help donate. St. Joe's could donate money too! We could ask Mrs. Bicandi if we could help donate. Japan really, really needs help right now so they should get all the help they can get.
ReplyDeleteAtticus- I have heard lot about the tragic disasters. Some of those things are that there was a 8.9 earthquake that triggered a 23 foot tsunami and has taken over 10,000 lives and is rising. This was a extreemly devisating accurince and was econimicly felt all around the world. I think ( like Hannah) we should send money and blinkets and other nesiary things. I also think that St. joes can do the same thing and posibly start a food drive. Also i think that our school can pray for the people in Japan because that is probaly what they need most.
ReplyDeletePhillip- I have heard that the disaster went like this: earthquake -> tsunami -> nuclear reactors -> explosions -> fires. The U.S.A. should send Japan care packages with basic necessities. We should make the care packages.
ReplyDeleteRyan M- Ive heard that japan had a huge earth quake and a death tsunami and nucular problems and tons of radiation and huge killing explosions. I think for just like haite we should have a fundraiser at our school and we should send people over there to hlp with the mess. Like i said we should start a fundraiser and raise money to rebuild their community
ReplyDeleteRyan Z.- I think that the US should try to help out Japan as much as the Japanese will allow because what everyone is failing to realize is that they're the Japanese they aren't really gonna want a lot of people helping them because to them that's a sign of weakness. So what we can really do to help is buy lots Japanese goods so then they don't have to accept "welfare" and we can still help out. I think this would also help the suddenly very weak global economy (what happened was when the Japanese lost everything in the flood the Dow dropped like 400 points (that's realy bad)and effected the entire world's economy). So the aid that's being sent right now is great don't get me wrong but I gotta felling that the Japanese aren't going to accept it much longer.
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ReplyDeleteLuke- I have heard so much about the catastrophic earthquake in Japan. this earthquake cause so much problem including a tsunami nuclear reactor melt down explosion then fires it is horrible. me and my family talk about it every night at dinner and i swear my dad shows me new videos every night and every video is worst. i think that saint Joesph's should make aid care packages and send them to these people that are in danger.the united states of America should just try to help in any means i think anything helps.
ReplyDeleteSofia- I set the profile picture just sayinnnn. I have heard a lot about the unfortunate events in Japan it is a tragic situation. The home videos that people take are horrible the situation there is really bad. The U.S. should offer Japan our help and if they accept the offer we could do as much as we can to help the people. At St.Joe's we could raise money to send over there to help buy supplies that are necessary. Though the currency is different we could try to raise enough money that would be a considerable amount there.
ReplyDeleteMaddy- I have heard about the horrible stuff that has been going on in Japan. I think that the United States should give them supplies to help them out and we could do as much as we could. At St.Joe's we could have a class or as a school and we could have a big fundraiser and bring in supplies or money for Japan.
ReplyDeleteDanielle: I have a heard that the earthquake and tsunami in Japan is horrible. It has been on the news ever since the day of the tragedy. Ive been watching videos and seeing pictures of before the tsunami and after. it really is terrible. I think the US should just raise money to help. I think our school should pray, maybe do a fundraiser, and maybe donate supllies. That might make the Japanese people happy :)
ReplyDeletegabby- i have heard of the earthquake in japan, its very tragic. i actually heard of the tsunami first, and i havent seen any film of japan, besides the thing mr grant showed us, but i now that it has been very bad. i think that the us should do what we did for haiti. i know that haiti was poor and japan is not but i think we really need to help them just as much as we did haiti. i think something we could do at st joes would probably just have everyone bring in money, or donate stuff.
ReplyDeleteTravis-i have heard that many people died and are still dying today from the 8.9 earthquake and all the after shocks including the tsunami and the nuclear reactor meltdown going on now. USA is a strong nation and could do a lot to help and i think that they should send money suplies and any thing else that the japanese people need to recover from such and awful thing. here at st joes, we can raise money to send to japan or to a charity for japan.
ReplyDeletejosu-I have heard that this earthquake has been one of the most tragic earthquakes japan has had. Many people have died from this tragedy. also Nuclear power plants have exploded and sent radiation in the air. The united states can help japan by sending over extra food and medical equipment they may still need. I think we should say prayers every day for the people in Japan.
ReplyDeleteKaed- I think tthat we should just help them by giving them food and money but we can't do much. I've just heard what you said in the last paragraphs. I wish e can do more but we can't just give them everything. Its just what happened in hatio and we couldn't do much other than give them food and water
ReplyDeleteMarya- think we should donate lots of money to help them but we have alot of other things to deal with too. i was in the first aid at ski day and the nurse was telling me about the tsnuami and earthquake. our school should really help donate stuff like supplies and money.
ReplyDeleteTravis- I Think Obama is doing the right thing to send troops to Libya to defend the rebel citizens. I think it is important to have the president have the approval of congress because it doesn't allow the president to gain too much power. In certain situations, i believe the president has the right to do this act on his own. Plus, in this scenario, my guess is that the congress would have allowed him to do what he did if he would have gone to congress asking for permission. I would enjoy to see Gadhafi out of power and imprisoned, The rebels to elect a new leader and for every thing to not be all crazy like anymore!
ReplyDeleteCristina- i heard that the earthquake in japan cause a tsunami that damaged a nuclear power plant. Nuclear power started to escape and people where worried that the chemicals where getting into the peoples food and drinking water. the united states can help by giving advice on how to handle the cracks at the nuclear power plant and send aid. we at St. Joe's can keep them in our prayers and ask God to protect and keep them safe!
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