Daily Lessons from Life 11 March 2011 - Hundreds Dead in Japanese Quake-Tsunami Disaster

"Hundreds dead in Japanese quake-tsunami disaster - CNA 11 March 2011

TOKYO: The strongest earthquake ever to hit Japan Friday unleashed a terrifying 10-metre tsunami that claimed hundreds of lives, with a nuclear plant and petrochemical complex among multiple sites set ablaze.

The monster wall of water generated by the 8.9-magnitude quake -- the seventh biggest in history -- pulverised the northeastern city of Sendai, where police reportedly said that 200-300 bodies had been found on the coast.

The 10-metre (33-foot) wave of black water sent shipping containers, cars and debris crashing through the streets of Sendai and across open farmland, while a tidal wave of debris-littered mud destroyed everything in its path.

More than 90 people were confirmed killed in addition to the bodies found on the Sendai coast, public broadcaster NHK reported."

It was surreal as I watched the newsreels of this devastating quake cum tsunami disaster. Scenes reminiscing disasters movies were playing out right in front of me. It is no make believed. These are real quakes, real waves, and real damages to properties and loss of precious lives!!

Lessons for me are:

1. we live in dangerous time. Mother Earth is continuing to evolve and I don't understand why human being are still building bigger and taller buildings and cramming more and more people into mega cities that are sususptible to earthquakes!!;

2. while Japan is the most prepared and more advance in handling and building structures that can absorbed earthquake, it still cannot escape damages and deaths when the quake is above 8 on the Reuther scale! The death toll was raised to more than 300 from 90 reported 6 hours ago!! What more if it hits other cities which are much less prepared than Japanese cities!!??;

3. it is a frequent feature these days with lots of volcanic and quakes going on. The recent heartbreaking and punishing Christchurch quake wrecked havoc and loss of properties and lives. Now this. I just wonder if human being will really think harder on changing the way it builds homes and spread of the people. I would love to be in a flat place with building no taller than 8 storeys!

We will know the full extend of the damages come daybreak tomorrow. It will probably be worst than currently reported. May the damages and loss of lives be kept to the minimal as aids and reliefs to Japan begin in earnest soon.