Remembering the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami a Year Later

A terrible, crippling day.

I watched as the unbelievable scene of devastation unfolded before the eyes of the world. A day's tragedy dealing a blow that will be felt for decades.

I remember discussing the nuclear crisis here, and we all looked on helplessly as an unprecedented nuclear accident threatened the nation. Even today, the cold shutdown is a paper thin reassurance, with makeshift safety systems not constructed to handle another catastrophe. The situation remains fragile at best, and it will remain a worry for the future.

Today, I join with the People of Japan for a moment of silence, a year since the Japanese 9.0 earthquake, catastrophic tsunami, and unprecedented nuclear disaster.

I sincerely pray that many have found their way through the loss as the country continues its recovery. And I soberly pray that the Japanese People remain safe and hopeful as many face an uncertain future with years of cleanup remaining.

Any thoughts on this tragic day and the situation one year on?

@dudeglove: It really has, hasn't it? Seems like only yesterday they were still trying to get the reactors under control after the meltdowns. How quickly this last year has passed.

Wow it's been a whole year I hope that people are able to get their life's back in place.

I didn't have a TV at the time, so I kind of missed it. I still don't know what happened, all I remember is that TF2 had some Japanese themed items for sale which were absurdly expensive.

@MysteriousBob said:

I didn't have a TV at the time, so I kind of missed it. I still don't know what happened, all I remember is that TF2 had some Japanese themed items for sale which were absurdly expensive.

Japan had a fuck-off huge Earthquake, some nuclear power-station went crazy, and then a few months later they got a fuck-off huge tsunami as the reach around.

I'm always floored when I see a disaster or a event that seems like it happened a month or two ago only to come to the realization that it was a year ago. Godspeed Japan. Time heals all.

@Oldirtybearon said:

@MysteriousBob said:

I didn't have a TV at the time, so I kind of missed it. I still don't know what happened, all I remember is that TF2 had some Japanese themed items for sale which were absurdly expensive.

Japan had a fuck-off huge Earthquake, some nuclear power-station went crazy, and then a few months later they got a fuck-off huge tsunami as the reach around.

Wait, what? A few months later?

Japan had a 9.0 earthquake, the largest in its history, which caused a massive tsunami wave within a few minutes of the earthquake which peaked at nearly 20 ft tall, consuming over 200 square miles of northern Japan in water, and the tsunami was large enough to overrun a nuclear plant's walls to severely cripple multiple buildings and power generators, causing three cores to fully meltdown, the largest nuclear plant disaster since Chernobyl.

That all happened within a matter of hours on this day a year ago. Quite amazing to even think about.