Several Prefectures reporting aftershocks of 3 to 6 on the Japanese quake scale.
At least 5 prefectures were mentioned, including Fukushima, Miyagi, Ibaraki and Tokai.
People in Fukushima say two quakes hit, and they were sharp upward jolts. In another prefecture they reported an upward jolt. In yet another prefecture a sideways jolt followed by an upward jolt.
In another prefecture the recently restored rail service was shut down.
Aftershocks felt all over Honshu today.
Officials, at all levels, are admitting that they did not think they would ever be dealing with a 9.0 quake, then tsunami, and now nuclear disasters.
Officials at the national level didn’t expect a triple whammy of disasters, and based on the majority of past disasters, thought the local governments could handle it.
The local governments never prepared for a 9.0 quake, followed by a massive tsunami. Their 10 meter high sea wall barriers failed. The planned emergency safe places for tsunamis proved to be death traps, as the tsunami was far higher than what was expected. There are reports of people rushing to schools, and other buildings that were designated as safe places for tsunamis, then being killed by a wave that was taller than the building. Many local officials say they never thought this could happen.
Another problem; local officials thought that if a disaster was worse than they planned for, they could rely on the national government, which has proven to be another faulty assumption.
Officials relied on disaster planners when making their plans. Disaster planners have admitted they didn’t see the post-disaster problems coming. One fault of disaster planners is they assumed that, some how, everyone in a disaster zone would make it to designated emergency shelters. Relief supplies were to be sent to the shelters only, because of that assumption. They are amazed at how many people are not able to get to designated emergency shelters. Also, some emergency shelters were destroyed.
As far as getting supplies in, the utter destruction in the worst hit areas makes it impossible to use roads or rails. Even helicopters had trouble finding places to land. Add to that the lack of fuel.
Other problems that are affecting all of Japan’s industries include lack of fuel, lack of electricity, lack of employees. The result is that many companies are shut down, or have cut back on production. Also, banks are having trouble making transaction, like cashing payroll checks, and ATM problems.
This is all exacerbated by the ongoing nuclear disaster.
Volunteers groups made up of individuals, and local businesses, are proving to be the best hope for Japan. They have been working to help those in the hardest hit areas. Many are bringing supplies into the disaster areas. In one case one man is trying to help the hospitals with their drug shortage problem. He has called all the hospitals in the hardest hit areas. At least 20% of the hospitals are not responding to his calls, so he is working his way to each hospital to find out their situation. The volunteer says what he notices is that there are no emergency “base camps” set up in the disaster areas. There are no emergency medical teams in place. It appears that hospital/medical issues were not considered in disaster planning.
Medical officials say the problem they see is there are no established priorities, there is no standardized emergency system in place in Japan. This lack of priorities and standardization is also having a bad effect on donated supplies that are arriving in Japan. Apparently there isn’t a plan in place to address material donations.
At the beginning the Japanese military was involved in search and rescue/recovery only. This was due in part to the faulty assumptions on the national level. Now, after it became clear that more needed to be done, they are working to clear access to the hardest hit areas, and help with supply efforts (they are also being involved in fighting the nuclear disaster).
Lessons: Officials made too many assumptions about what other levels of government would do. No priorities established. No standardized emergency response system established. Major aspects of the community were ignored, like what happens if the hospitals and emergency shelters are destroyed? What happens if all modes of transportation are shut down? The biggest problem is that most people made the universal assumption that a catastrophic disaster could never happen to them. After all, isn’t that what preparing for the worst case is all about?
Geologist say the 9.0 quake moved a major fault line closer to Tokyo.
British Geological Survey say it looks like the stress has been increased on part of the fault nearest to Tokyo, but they aren’t sure if this means a major quake anytime soon.
The Walt Disney Co said its theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, will remain closed.
Disney blames the lack of a stable electricity supply and transportation issues. Also, liquefaction destroyed one of their parking lots.
TEPCO Executive Vice President Norio Tsuzumi, apologized to peole who have been evacuated because of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster: ”We are sorry to have caused you too much trouble.”
There are rumors that the elusive CEO of TEPCO, has taken responsibility for the nuclear disaster.
Japan’s disasters just keep hitting everywhere, now printer ink.
Manufactures of printer ink have asked Japanese publishing companies to cut back on printing production because of ink shortage.
Last year there were concerns of ink/toner shortages, now it looks like Japan’s disaster has made that situation worse.
Ink/toner recyclers will probably benefit from this new shortage.
“We have exported a 1,000-ton cargo of gasoline to Afghanistan this (Iranian year), and we are amidst negotiations to export the second and third cargoes to the country,”-Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Alireza Zeiqami
Ironically, Iran’s refined gas industry has gotten a boost from U.S. and European economic sanctions. So much so that Iran is negotiating new contracts with surrounding countries.
The latest sanctions against Iran forbids companies from selling refined gas to Iran. As a result Iran increased its own fuel refining, and found out that its neighbors, like Afghanistan, wanted to buy it.
Iranian Oil Minister Massoud Mir-Kazzemi said their fuel refining has increased so much that that Iran no longer needs foreign imports. So much for sanctions.
By the way, does anyone like the idea that were throwing billions of U.S. dollars down the drain in Afghanistan, while other countries make money off Afghanistan? Where did Afghanistan get the money to buy the Iranian gas?
Australia’s Rio Tinto, the world’s second-biggest iron ore miner, is worried the disaster in Japan will disrupt supplies of mining equipment, tires and other components.
Hitachi Construction, Japan’s No.2 maker of earthmoving equipment, and a big suppler to Rio Tinto, said five plants are closed. Three have partially reopened.
“There are a huge number of little bits of the high-tech food chain which are done nowhere but in Japan. Nobody else has the quality or the consistency, and in some cases the technology to do it.”-Sam Perry, senior investment manager of Pictet Japanese Equity Selection Fund.
Canon Inc has suspended all of its domestic camera production. One of the problems was a lack of gas which was affecting distribution, and stopping employees from getting to work where train services are minimal.
Nikon warned that power cuts, and shortages of parts, will make full production difficult.
Renesas Electronics Corp, the world’s No.5 chipmaker, started operations at one semiconductor plant. Six of the company’s 22 factories remain closed.
Sony has announced that it will close 5 more plants, due to a lack of parts. That brings the number of Sony plants affected by the 9.0 quake/tsunami to 14.
Sony officials say they might be forced to move production away from Japan.
“If the shortage of parts and materials supplied to these plants continues, we will consider necessary measures, including a temporary shift of production overseas.”