JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI 11th MARCH 2011

 Women - Face to Face With Disaster

 



Friday  11^th March, 2011 at 1446 local time (0546 GMT) an earthquake with the magnitude of 8.9, the biggest to hit Japan in 140 years struck 400km (250 miles) north-east of Tokyo triggering a 10-metre tsunami that pounded the country’s east coast.

 



Houses being swallowed, cars and other debris were swept away by the tsunami tidal waves.    


Residents and workers in Tokyo rushed out of apartment buildings, office blocks and gathered in parks and open spaces as aftershocks continued to hit. 


Police said 200 to 300 bodies have been found in the north eastern coastal city of Sendai where hundreds of buildings have collapsed. Japan's NHK television said the victims appeared to have drowned, another 88 were confirmed killed and 349 were missing.

Natural disasters have always been a fact of life in human history. Natural disasters devastate entire communities. During and after these disasters, women and children suffer the most.  Yet time and again women have always proven themselves indispensable when it comes to responding to disasters.

We have just celebrated The International Women’s day last 8th March 2011. 

However today we witnessed a disaster beyond belief and beyond words; the loss of  many lives, properties and the destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami.  


May we extend our deepest sympathies to families and loved ones of those Japanese killed on this tragic day.    

Though we cannot possibly feel this pain as you do, we have you in our hearts and our thoughts.

(Pictures taken from National Post)

Updates: 13 March 2011

 

 Where there was once a thriving town, buildings are now covered with mud in Minamisanriku town, Miyagi after the tsunami drowned the entire town.

Amidst tsunami flood waters burning houses and ships are piled in a mass of debris in Kisenuma city, Miyagi prefecture