Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Summary:
On March 11 at 0046 hours EST, or 1446 hours local time, a magnitude 8.9
earthquake - the fifth largest in the world since 1990 - occurred near the east coast
of Honshu, the largest and main island of Japan, at the depth of approximately 15
miles. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake
was located 80 miles east of Sendai, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture, and 231
miles northeast of Tokyo. As of March 11, aftershocks continued to impact cities
near the epicenter in Honshu (Ref USAID).
Situation Report 1 (3/11/2011 0430 EST)
Summary: Serious earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Airports closed, major
infrastructure damage, ongoing hazards.
This earthquake and tsunami in Japan is the most serious in the past. It mainly hit
Tohoku area, the northern part of Japan main land. In Miyagi prefecture and
Iwate prefecture, they had quite serious damage. There was a catastrophic
damage caused by tsunami along Natori river in Miyagi prefecture and Port
Kamaishi in Iwate. In my impression, the damage of tsunami is more devastating
than earthquake itself. Tokyo was also attached; however, the damage seems
relatively limited. In Tokyo, the railway is stopped, and most businessperson
(more than 1 million people) will have to stay in Tokyo. People try to be calm. So
far there is no major fire or building collapse.
According to national disaster plan, the medical response teams have started
working. However, the airports (Naneda international airport in Tokyo and Miyagi
airport) are closed now. So, the teams in the neighboring prefectures try to move
by motorvehicles. The teams in the remote areas are being stand-by.
-
Takashi Nagata
Sit Rep 3 (3/11/2011 0630 EST)
Summary: Night and darkness limiting ability to perform assessment and gain
situational awareness. Planning ongoing. Concern for nuclear power plants.
It is night time now. It is difficult for us to rescue and search for the victims, and
we have to wait for the sunrise at least 10 hours. As far as the media reports, the
situation seems stable. Many hospitals are intact in the affected area. And most
people stay in the designated shelters. Food and electric power can be provided.
However, we do not know the whole impact of the earthquake and tsunami.
Military, police, fire, EMS and disaster medical teams have already been deployed
to the scene. There are 11 atomic power plants in the affected area, and so far,
all of them are stopped automatically. So far there is no risk of radiation leakage.
-
Takashi Nagata
Sit Rep 4 (3/11/2011 0849 EST)
Summary: Early initial fatality estimates. Planning for public health challenges
emerging. DMAT mobilizing for US response (domestically), USAR mobilizing for
international response.
We estimate about at least 1,000 fatalities and 2,000 severe injuries in the
affected area. The access from the neighboring prefectures to the affected area is
limited. And rescue/search activity does not work well. Now the media reported
that 200-300 drowning were found dead now.
The affected area, Tohoku, is next to Tokyo, and we would like to send teams
from Tokyo to the front line; however, the hospitals are busy to work for the
overcrowding mild patients in the urban area. So, we cannot afford. We guess
that the situation is like Tsunami in Asia, 2005 or Hurricane Katrina in 2006. In
addition to emergency disaster relief in the acute phase, I think we will need
public health approach for the affected area in the long time.
- Takashi Nagata from Japan
Hello, I am Motoyasu Yamazaki, a trauma and emergency surgeon in Saiseikai
Yokohamashi Tobu Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. Yokohama is located 25km south
of Tokyo. There were aftershocks so many times and I feel an earth tremor just
now. The damage in my hospital is minimal, but the electric power went off for
several hours. Many traffic signal have gone wrong, so there seem to be some
traffic accidents, and it takes long time for ambulance car to reach our hospital.
It is midnight now here, but I can see many people walking along the national
highway. They have to walk long distance because the railways are stopped.
Many staffs of our hospital can’t go home, and have to stay in the hospital
tonight. Unfortunately we can’t send disaster response team now.
-
Motoyasu Yamazaki, M. D.
3/11/2011 12:32pm EST:
1 DMAT - Missouri 1 activated and heading toward CA for staging with 1 IRCT, 5
DMATs on alert, 2 DMORTs on call. Currently all effort is for CONUS activity and
data so far from FEMA reg 9 (CA, HI and PAC territories) and reg 10 (WA, OR, AS)
minimal impact. Domestic impact appear negligible. Int response still not clear
other than DOD assets in the Pacific
- Douglas Char, MD
Sit Rep 5 (3/11/2011 0952 EST)
Summary: Coastal areas alarm zone, major fires across region.
Dear all,
We still have tsunami repeatedly at night, and the most coast lines of Japan
become alarm zone now. The government issued the emergency of nuclear
plant in Fukushima prefecture. The system has already shut down the reactor
and then caused problems with its cooling system. So far there are currently no
reports of radiation leakage. Military and fire are working hard for it now. These
power plants are located about 200 km away from Tokyo.
Now we have several major fire in several places. Rescue activity is quite difficult
because of darkness. In Kobe earthquake in 1995, about 6000 people died, but
this occurred in the single prefecture. This earthquake and tsunami attached
multiple areas and regions in Japan. It is sad to say, but this is the largest disaster
we have ever had.
After 6 hours, we will have sunrise.
- Takashi Nagata
Sit Rep 6 (3/11/2011 1758 EST)
Now it is day time. Information is still fragmented. The damage in the affected
area (Miyagi, Iwate, Fukushima, Aoromi, and Ibaragi) is devastating, and we do
not know the whole damage. There is a minor leakage of radiation from the
nuclear power and people around the plants are ordered to be evacuated;
however, we are concerned about the meltdown. The alert in the system is rising.
At least 1,000 people are dead or missing in Hohoku area, and the number is still
rising. Tokyo seems okay. The railways and subways works in 30-50% of their
capability. Haneda international airport and Narita international airport are
almost intact, but the several airports in the affected area are closed or
destroyed.
Many DMATs have been sent to the scene by the military aircraft. Japan Medical
Association has started the coordination to do medical support to the affected
area.
- Takashi Nagata
Dear Dr Nagata,
1 USAR team- we are preparing to leave Virginia now. Are there any particular
endemic hazards we should be prepared for other than the expected
contaminated water and radiation? Also if you could send any contact
information for yourself or other physicians and healthcare facilities and the
condition and availability for any of our injured rescue personnel it would be
appreciated.
Thanks
Bill
Sit Rep 7 (3/11/2011 1912 EST)
Summary: Difficulties with access, language barriers for international volunteers.
Dear colleagues,
It is quite difficult to access from neighboring prefectures to the affected area,
because the many national roads and highways are closed or destroyed. And it is
still in the end of snow season, and the road conditions are snowy and muddy.
Many colleagues in ACEP are proposing us the international disaster aid, and we
sincerely appreciate you all. However, this is my personal thought, and it is quite
difficult to accept disaster relief teams from outside Japan in the next few days.
Some academic institutions, hospitals, and organization will be the counterparts
for the foreign disaster relief teams, but so far, I have no contact information. I
am staying at the safe place which is located 1000 kilometer away.
If you will come to Japan, I mention that the difficulties in working in Japan is
language barrier. I am sorry to say, but most Japanese people are capable to
read and speak English, but they are very shy to communicate with the people
who speaks English. Safety is not secured in the affected area. We are very
careful about the second attack of earthquake and tsunami and risk of radiation
exposure. On the contrary, security (riot, confusion, violence, etc) will not be an
issue for disaster relief work.
- Takashi
Sit Rep 8 (3/11/2011 2221 EST)
Summary: Airports (Sendai, Hanamaki, Ibaragi) not functional. Evacuation
ordered in Fukushima (2/2 nuclear power plant damage).
Several DMATs teams can arrive in the Ground Zero, and try to collect the
information and establish the command structure in the prefecture government
offices. The number of fatalities raised to more than 1,400 now.
Sendai airport in Miyagi, Hanamaki airport in Iwate, and Ibaragi airport in
Ibaragi are not available now. They are destroyed by tsunami. The tsunami
arrived 10 kiliometer from the sea coast in some regions, and many
villages/towns located inside are damaged. Narita and Haneda airport in Tokyo
are working. Kansai, Nagoya and Fukuoka international airport are also intact.
The people live within 10 kilometer from the nuclear power plant named
Fukushima 2nd plant are ordered for evacuation, and about 60,000 people are
being left. Korean rescue teams will be deployed soon. I hope this will be
helpful.
- Takashi Nagata
Sit Rep 9 (3/12/2011 1210 EST)
Dear colleagues,
Most of the members might not be familiar with the geographical condition of
Japan. Please refer to this site (http://tmapps.esri.com/EQ_Japan/index.html).
It is day time, and all are working hard for search and rescue activity in addition to
medical support. About 50,000 military teams are sent to the scene, and will
work with US forces together. At least 210,000 are evacuated from the scene.
The two nuclear power plants are not under control, but there is no information
about melting down.
- Takashi Nagata
Situation Report 10 (00:22 EST)
Summary: Nuclear Power Plant potential melt down.
The media mentioned that there is high possibility of melting down in the nuclear
power plant now. This information is not double-checked.
- Takashi Nagata
Sit Rep 11 (3/12/2011, 0329 EST)
Summary: Critical melt down at power plant.
The present situation of nuclear power is critical. We have another earthquake
near the plant, and there was an explosion, and the detail is under investigation.
It is same as Three Miles now, and there is high possibility of Chernobyl disaster in
Japan. There are several plants there, and the worst scenario is consequent
reaction of Chernobyl disasters, which we have never experiences before.
Heading to Japan Medical Association for to work for intelligence, planning, and
logistics.
Takashi Nagata
I From Chernobyl we learned of the benefit of rapid distribution of potassium
iodide - look to the Polish data on thyroid cancer - particularly in kids and
pregnant women. God bless you and your countrymen, our team and many
others are standing by and following closely.
- Erik P. Schobitz, MD, FAAP
Dr. Nagata,
We will be enroute to Japan as part of the medical component of the US urban
search and rescue task from Los Angeles County. We will be arriving with our
sister team from the state of Virginia hopefully within the next 24 hours. My
email is schinmd@gmail.com but texting may work better to 001 714 296 4104.
Try to keep info coming.
____
Steven Chin MD FACEP