EARTHQUAKE: Today in Japan

March 11, 2011 8:16 pm Published by

This picture is of the Option and Drift Tengoku magazine office in Shin-Kiba, right down near Tokyo Bay, which was swamped by a small tsunami is built on reclaimed land that liquefied and had a dramatic rise in water table after the quake.

Luckily I was at the house today, which is not in a tsunami-prone area, and most of the buildings are two stories or less. There was a lot of shaking, but fortunately not much else. After realising that it wasn’t a strong breeze that was rattling the windows, I grabbed a video camera and pointed it outside.

Hopefully everything gets sorted out here soon.

I’m not sure if it’s available overseas, but the TBS Youtube channel has a lot of videos and live streaming.

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This post was written by Alexi

57 Comments

  • Marks says:

    Glad to hear you’re alright. I checked some vids on CNN and it looks really bad 🙁

  • Craig says:

    hope everyone over there is ok. Looks pretty bad furthur north.

  • louis says:

    stay safe! (+ the cars)

  • NikuKun says:

    Good to know that you are safe! 🙂

  • LozZz says:

    Glad you’re safe. It was only 5.something here in Kofu but it was still scary enough!

  • banpei says:

    Good to hear you are alright! 😉
    I already saw on the news one of the nuclear reactors is on fire. Let’s hope they can extinguish that as quickly as possible!

  • Rick R. says:

    Glad to hear you’re doing OK, Alexi. Please keep us updated. From the States, I send my prayers.

  • Orang Akaun says:

    may God bless you all

  • Alexander says:

    Damn, I’ve seen what happened to the powervehicles garage&office on FB, that is so messed up. does this shit happen often?

  • Chase says:

    God save [ O ]!

  • Dan mK says:

    I’m a long-time lurker and Alexi’s insights into life & cars in Japan have me hooked on a visit in the future.
    We don’t get bad ass nature attacks in our part of the world, it looks horrific.
    I’d just like to send my best wishes to all reading this who are being affected in any way.

  • erwinz says:

    Best of luck everybody in japan!

    Greetz from Holland

  • Nigel says:

    Glad to see a lot of the area is ok (and people). (And you too man, photographer to the end.)
    8.9 is pretty big, Japan is in our thoughts.

  • Guardian-X- says:

    Glad to see you’re ok!

  • Oak1ey says:

    Alexi, I was happy to hear that you are okay and wanted to say the news pictures have been horrifing, we hope you have all the support from all the emergencys services and things can get back to normal as quickly as possible.

    Oaks

    Our thoughts are with you.

  • Grupert Awesome says:

    Glad to know you’re okay dude, the whole country seems to be in a state of panic atm.

  • Q says:

    Stud.

    Thanks for posting. Can’t get a hold of my friends and family in the Saitama area… this helps us breath a little easier.

    • Alexi says:

      The phones are still out (1:00AM), but the internet has worked the whole time.

      • Freq says:

        Last I heard the telcom companies were reserving voice bandwidth on the cell networks for emergency and government services. People have been communicating over text message and Twitter. Best bet to get in touch with family and friends is email, social networks, etc.

        • I says:

          There are supposed to be Government sanctioned power outtages in certain areas, I’m having trouble finding out which since I can only speak and understanding Japanese not read it… its a terrible shame considering many are still unable to communicate with their lost relatives and friends; imposing them with even greater burdens is the last thing they should be doing. I saw a first-hand testimony from a guy in a hospital NHK report who’s house was swept away he then fought his way out of his submerged home, then from the current using a boat, then a roof to finally arrive near a second story building! Emotive stuff, it was truly heart sinking, but then they followed with one of those few rare moments where man-kind redeems itself as a guy with a water tanker truck traveled to get potable water for his local community of his own volition and expense.

          I just saw they averted the nuclear disaster in Tokai, thank God. Nuclear reactors, and its subsequent dangers, are no fucking joke.

  • Kolbotn says:

    I am glad to hear that you are OK Alexi!
    Seeing all the devastation in the news makes me really sad!

  • Henry says:

    Stay safe holmes. My heart goes out to all who are affected by this. It is so sad. I watched the tsunami live on NHK- it looked like a movie… But wasn’t.

  • octo says:

    thanks god you save them ….

  • 6330 says:

    Stay safe, hope the aftershocks aren’t so extreme.

  • tokyojrock says:

    Hey Alexi, did you hear Ebisu Circuit got messed up bad!

  • tokyojrock says:

    And http://www.hellforleather.com just published my off the hip account of today’s events through my eyes.

  • thispartisrequired says:

    glad to hear your all good, was the first thing i thought about when i heard the news about the earthquake on the news this morning.

    best of luck to you all over there

  • max valencia says:

    fuerza a todos nuestros hermanos japoneses esperamos en chile las consecuencias de la onda expansiva en el mar!

  • Andres says:

    Best of luck from mexico, be strong

  • kOOpA says:

    Take care man, hope your friends are okay, too!

  • jdm.lt says:

    stay brave and safe! we wish you all best luck

  • seagullking says:

    Hope your alright…Im from Australia importing a Supra and its currently still in Kyushu, could you tell me if that part of japan is affected… is my car dead ?

  • Killua says:

    I’m glad to hear you are alright!

    Best wishes from Chile. I know how an earthquake feels!

  • Sergiogon says:

    Keep safe mate!

  • ad says:

    First thing I thought was, “Gee, hope Alexi is alright…”

    Good to see you are indeed. Natural disasters are harrrrrrrrrrrsh.

  • Trav says:

    Glad to hear that you are okay Alexi, stay well.

  • ollie says:

    awsome to hear your ok ive never comented b4 but never a beter time than now i hope it looks better than the news is leading us to beleve here in spain at least if eny contry is capable of looking after its people and sorting things out fast its japan our harts and minds go out to every one over there

  • Wreckerupe says:

    Good to hear your o.k. Thoughts are with all those affected…We had floods (Boscastle, Cornwall, U.K) some years ago and that was bad enough but this is a whole different level.
    People are strong and come together in times like these, take help from those more fortunate and give help to those who are less. All our best wishes.

  • kev says:

    hope u guys are ok there…best wishes from germany

  • john u.k says:

    best wishes to you and your country.

  • GenJi says:

    I am also glad that you’re alright Alexi..

    hope Japan gets back on it’s feet soon after all this

  • Yung says:

    My first post here to tell you I’m glad you’re all right.

  • Yung says:

    By the way, the video link for the news does work overseas. Thanks for posting it. Stay safe!

  • NICK says:

    Its all been said but i hope you and everyone you know is algood!
    Keep ya chin up mate! all the best from NZ

  • Dan says:

    Glad you’re alright Alexi, Thanks for the update.

  • Mamet says:

    Its good to hear that u alright Alexi..Best of luck from us here in Malaysia..

  • JJ says:

    best of luck to everyone in japan. so sorry guys!!!

  • Remo says:

    All the best wishes for you and the japanese folk from germany! My feelings are with you.

  • mobilespeed says:

    Just read Kumakubo’s blog.

    Ebisu’s now under recovery. Lots and lots of damage done.

    Workers began rescuing customers car stored at the crippled garage, including Federico Sceriffo’s D1GP Impreza…scary though…

  • Oak1ey says:

    Hi Alexi I have started arranging a charity meet in England UK currently have over 60 cars already and looking for over 300, all proceeds going to Japanese Tsunami Appeal with the Red Cross.

    Give the Jap scene something back.

    Oaks

  • Henry says:

    Alexi, Hey I have seen some of the destruction at Ebisu, but was wondering if there are any reports on things at the Sendai Highlands course? Because it is so close I would guess it has been hit hard… I love Japan so much and hope to move there in the next two years (after I finish university), is there any way that you would recommend I could help or give support from the states? I know I could just give to the Red Cross, but because I am a student I want my limited resources to be used as effectively as possible. Thanks for keeping us posted at this unfortunate time.

  • WolfRPS13 says:

    Hey Alexi,
    Please, as with the previous post, can you tell us which of the aid appeals is likely to best help the Japanese people? Most of the Red Cross etc chew up the donations on admin, but if you know of a good one, and could get some details for us all, specific to myself though, for Australia?

    Glad to hear (read) that you, and those near you are ok, our thoughts are with you all (In Japan)

    Cheers

  • BlueSlug says:

    I leave the internet for just over a month and this is what I come back to :O

    I’m glad you’re alright, Alexi! this is some crazy shit!

  • Glad to hear that your safe 🙂

  • Chris says:

    What body kit does that Silvia have in the pic?