An Earthquake Story

This has taken awhile to get to this, because we have evacuated from our home in Yokosuka and now are in Clearwater. 

 

On March 11 at 2:46 pm as I was loading the kids into my van in front of a friend's townhouse, I felt woozy. I told Lucien that I was going to faint and he said "but Mommy the car is moving." I wasn't woozy, the earth was. Standing there felt like being on a boat at sea during a storm. We rolled that way for several minutes. I saw one lady running out of her house with 2 wine bottles and a kid in tow. Priorities. After it stopped I checked on my friend and they were fine. We agreed it was the biggest one we had ever felt, but had no idea that we were hundreds of miles away from the epicenter. I was on a mission to procure sakura KitKats for a girlfriend in Honolulu, Brad was leaving the next day and heading her way, so off we went to hit every Family Mart and 7-11 until we found them. Driving by the gym on base we noticed that a river was running down the outside steps leading from the second floor pool. It had had it's own tsumani.

At the convenience store the lights were off and the attendant was ringing people up on a pad of paper. The kids scattered looking for their favorite things (totally ok to have small kids scatter in stores in Japan). While I was looking for the KitKats the place started shaking. My mind registered aftershock and I tried not to panic, but panic I did. Yelling and scooping up children under my arms as I ran outside. Soon followed by the noticeably calmer Japanese patrons. This felt entirely different from the first earthquake - a shake not a roll. The man added up our purchases which didn't include sakura KitKats on paper and we left. I decided at this point that home was where we really needed to be. Although we were just about 2 kms away from base it took us forever to get home. Traffic was at a standstill, policeman appeared out of nowhere and calmly directed traffic, no panic. Soon the sirens started and a big voice filled the air. Lucien sounding a little shaken asked me if everything was alright. I lied. I told him they were giving an all-clear when actually the only word I understood was "onegeishimas", please. I figured it was a tsunami warning and they were politely asking people to clear the coast, but wasn't certain. When I passed a street crossing and saw the the coast street was empty except for a lone police officer and a bullhorn, I knew. As we sat there in traffic we watched the traffic lights swaying back and forth from the aftershocks.

When we returned home, Brad was watching the live footage of the tsunamis coming ashore and wiping towns away. We looked at each other and said Katrina. You see almost 6 years earlier we had evacuated our brand new home in Biloxi, MS for Katrina. But that is another story all together. He had just come home to check on us and soon left again for the office. Outside people were starting to head up the hills on base. My neighbor had come home and said we should head for higher ground as well. I got Anders in the stroller and Radar on a leash and we headed across the street to go up the hill. Luckily I ran into a neighbor who had just received notification that the tsunami that would hit Yokosuka would only be 1.5 meters. We went home and watched tv until the kids were good and freaked out.

Our base had minimal damage. Here ares some videos from that day. The aftershocks still continue.

 

 

 

 

A video my friend Jennie took in her apartment in Yokohama which is the next city north of Yokosuka, but still very far from the epicenter.

 

People asking me how they can help and really the only thing to do is send money and pray. Here is a facebook page of girlscouts in Camp Zama collecting comfort backpacks for children affected by the disaster.  https://www.facebook.com/backpacksforchildrenofjapan

Comments

[Blossom]

HI there,

I was reading your post on 'Hanami or Not' and saw some of your earlier postings. I didn't know the government went to the extent of posting signs. Thanks for sharing! I know lots of parties were canceled to be sensitive to those who are suffering.

Also I see that there is a lot of negative social opinions on Japanese and Foreigners who have chosen to leave Japan after the quake. I have a young family myself and totally would do the same for their safety. But is anyone speaking out for these foreigners? The negative sentiment is so one-sided. How do you feel about this? I just felt it was unfair for foreigners who stayed behind to label others as fly-jins.