12 March 2011

HOPE

After a restless long day of trying to contact my family and friends in Japan, my saddened feeling has never stopped. What nature brought to Japan on Friday has begun to appear far worse. 
Firstly, thank you for those who were concerned about my family and friends via emails, phone and facebook etc. They are all safe, including my close friends who live in Hachijyo island and in Sendai where tsunami hit directly. My parents were trapped in underground at that time but luckily managed to get out and ‘walked’ home for 7 hours from Tokyo in the black out. 
I hear that the energy of this earthquake was 8000 times of recent Christchurch, 22000 times of atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Tsunami was as if dropping a boulder the size of Isle of Wight into the ocean. These are not just numbers and metaphor that scares me but also a horrible reminder of what beautiful nature could do to powerless human. The earthquake has not stopped yet. My family still feels the shakes every minutes today, people in North in particular, in much high level of magnitude. Fear and tsunami warning will continue. 
My heart aches so much for people who lost their life, of loved ones and homes, after seeing devastating scenes. Soon after the earthquake yesterday, I received so many desperate voices via RT twitter from people who were still stuck in cars and buildings, and were unable to escape from tsunami. I could only hope they are now rescued safely. Due to the massive damage of Fukushima nuclear plant, which is supplying major amount of electricity to many areas of Japan, many cities are still shut down. In many areas, including Tokyo, there will be ‘scheduled black out’ again to save energy from this Monday till they don’t know when. In the most effected areas, survivors who lost homes and loved ones have to face the after effect in still dark and snowy-cold weather. In Fukushima, people continued to evacuate from one place to another, each time the radiation warning spread, without getting much information. Hearing what they experienced was terrifying, even though I have ‘grown up’ with earthquakes in my whole life, it was beyond belief. Devastating. 
All my feelings and thoughts are for the people in Japan. 
HOPE is all I can do.

16 comments:

  1. Such a terrible force of nature. Very, very pleased to hear that your family and friends are safe. Can't imagine what it must be like to be there at present, especially with the continued tremors not giving any respite to the situation.
    Very best wishes Maki!

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  2. Anonymous12/3/11 19:45

    Oh Maki I am so relieved your loved ones are safe! It must be so heart wrenching for you. Sending you big love! xo

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  3. Hi Maki, je suis de tout coeur avec vous, bon courage, il n'y a pas de mots..............
    Hope

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  4. So glad your family is safe, but still in shock and disbelief over the force of nature. I grew up in California and have been through many quakes but nothing like this. Will continue to uplift The Japanese in my prayers.

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  5. I'm glad that your family and friends are safe. We are so powerless against the nature. Hope and good wishes to Japanese people.

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  6. my heart is with the people of Japan and this ray of hope that your family and friends made it out against such odds is so heartening.
    Imagine your parents walking for seven hours after the trauma of experiencing the quake.
    Brave people.
    xx
    julie

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  7. Oh, Maki, I can't imagine what you must be going through, the devastation is on such a big scale it's almost impossible to comprehend. I'm thinking of you and all the people affected by this and hope that people will get a chance very soon to start rebuilding their lives.

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  8. Maki, words are useless. In the smallest way, I know that I and countless others are carrying the people of your country in our hearts at the moment. Glad your family are safe. x

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  9. Hi Maki
    I'm so glad your family and friends are safe. It's unimaginable what everyone in Japan is going through. Take care x

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  10. hi maki
    glad to hear your all safe
    my thoughts and prayers are with you all
    xx

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  11. Dear Maki,
    been thinking of you hearing the desperate situation unfold in Japan.
    So glad to read your friends and family are safe.
    Much love.
    Claire

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  12. Thank you for the update and your heartfelt words on this situation. I hope the country and the people in Japan recover. I hold much hope for them in my heart.

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  13. Anonymous14/3/11 00:18

    Maki, my heart is breaking for all those lost loved ones and devastation. I'm so happy your loved ones are safe, it must be so terrifying for them.

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  14. Speechless, teary eyed. So sad. Glad your loved ones are safe x

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  15. It is so terrible-my heart aches for Japan and it's beautiful people.
    Prayers and love......

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  16. The news just gets worse, it's heartbreaking. Thinking of you Maki

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