Watching towns burn

Whole areas of Kesenuma in Miyagi prefecture in Tohoku are burning, people's lives going up in smoke, watched by anyone who was able to make it home. It is painful to watch the playing over and over again of images of destruction, but we need to watch out for fresh warnings, and sleep doesn't seem possible. If you aren't accustomed to earthquakes you might think that it is only falling buildings that are the problem, but there are many other dangers. It is often the fires that break out that are more destructive, and the ground can even liquify into mud. This has been a day no-one in Japan will forget.

You have probably seen the tsunami videos by now, and terrible though that has been there is perhaps a greater long term risk posed as a result by the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power station which was built right by the pacific ocean on the Fukushima-ken coast, and therefore right in the path of tsunamis. Earlier today we watched the huge waves batter it. It is now reported to be in a state of nuclear emergency declared due to the failure of a pump in the cooling system which is vital to control the reactor following the emergency shut down. The evacuation zone was initially 3km, with an emergency team said to be on their way from Tokyo, but this has since been increased to 10km. We have packed bags with clothes and food for if it comes to the worst, depending on the wind, and we need to leave.