It’s Not the Shake, It’s the Wave

I lived in Japan for two years. We had some minor tremors while I was there, but it was the safest I felt in all the quake prone areas of the world that I’ve had the pleasure to know – in spite of the fact that I knew we lived at sea level plus (or minus) a few feet.

I’m also as nerdy about these things as a guy can be after growing up in a place where the only quakers were oatmeal or peaceniks. So I am deeply sympathetic to the bad news to come.

That being said, you know what came to mind when I saw the picture you used for this post? All of those vehicles will end up being salvaged and sold to Russia.

LAT reported no Tsunami watch for the Left Coast, but CNN just mentioned Oregon. Hawaii’s gonna get hit in about four hours.

@Nabisco: I visited eastern Japan for a couple weeks while a friend was teaching English there. He pointed out a certain historical futility in construction: You know another quake’s coming sooner or later…

@nojo: In addition to that 8.9 whopper, I count at least 10 quakes above 6.1 in the last 90 minutes, most around 6.4 and up to 6.9, all from virtually the same epicenter.

That should keep the water moving for awhile.

ADD: @nojo: Yes, but at least they have the foresight to tear down and rebuild every few years.

Wikipedia’s fast: seventh-largest quake on record.

@Nabisco: Last year’s Easter Quake was eventually downgraded below 6.0, but it was a ride.

ADD: And it took a couple days to get the major aftershocks out of the system.

If there is any upside to this, it may release some of the pressure on the Himalayan Frontal Thrust – a daily concern, I might add.

NHK has an English feed? Who knew?

And here I was thinking that Freaky 2011 News was finally starting to settle down.

Left Coast now under Tsunami “watch”, but not “warning”.

ADD: Hey, let’s check the Weather Channel iPad app!

THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA FROM THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO  POINT CONCEPCION CALIFORNIA

PERSONS IN TSUNAMI ADVISORY COASTAL AREAS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE WATER OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF HARBORS AND MARINAS.

Will all those dead sardines wash ashore?

@nojo: Post updated: Tsunami warning now posted for northern California and Oregon.

@nojo: Yikes. Save the Humboldt Buds? Water shoes or wool socks with the Birks?

And the quake alerts keep coming – 6.5 just a little while ago, about 40 miles east of where the 8.9 was centered.

@Nabisco: Hiking boots. Even I have limits.

The Sandy Eggo warning is for about a meter. But for anything to reach me, it has to take out the airport first.

My girlfriend is in Okinawa visiting family … I am not pleased.

@blogenfreude: Yikes. Hope you hear from her soon.