March 11th, 2011 
AstroNerdBoy I was sitting at work when one of the large monitors that endlessly plays CNN started saying something about a massive Earthquake in Japan. Since I had Twitter up on the side, I took a glance and saw folks from Japan beginning to tweet on the Earthquake. Azuma-sensei (Azumanga Daioh; Yotsuba&!) posted this on Twitter.
azumakiyohiko あずまきよひこ
わああーーー
(Translation: Whaaaa!)azumakiyohiko あずまきよひこ
地震でＣＤラックが倒れた。 http://twitpic.com/48din8(Translation: CD rack collapsed in the earthquake.)
Akamatsu-sensei (Love Hina; Negima!) posted this.
KenAkamatsu 赤松健
赤松スタジオは全員無事。
(Translation: Akamatsu studio unharmed.)
William Flanagan made this report.
WilliamFlanagan William FlanaganFelt that one even here in the Gifu mountains. It went on a long time!WilliamFlanagan William Flanagan
Went outside with the wife and kids and watched our house shake.WilliamFlanagan William Flanagan
Just felt a minor aftershock too. BTW absolutely no damage this far away, but a little scary when we packed up the kid and went outside.Thankfully, everyone I know in Japan is OK so far.
A tweet from Andy Levy alerted me to the NHK World live feed, which I brought up on one of our monitors. What I saw will haunt me for a very long time. I’d already read tweets talking of the tsunami warnings in Sendai (the capital of Miyagi Prefecture in Japan) when NHK’s helicopter arrived on scene and began showing the first tsunami come ashore. A group gathered around me and we all watched in horror as the tsunami first rammed up the river before overflowing as more water rushed inland, destroying almost everything in its path.
As the chopper continued to follow the water, we watched more buildings go down, many exploding into flame. What really got us was seeing cars on the roads attempting to flee. The water was clearly going to catch up to these fleeing cars. We didn’t see what happened as the camera panned away but it seemed pretty obvious that the people in the cars were quite possibly dead. When the live shot left Sendai for another city, we saw a tsunami bringing boats well inland and bridge was just astonishing.
When the live shot returned to Sendai, we were just floored when the shot revealed multiple tsunami coming ashore.
Needless to say, it has been hard for some of us to work because we know how tough it will be on the people affected by the continuing aftershocks and continuing tsunami that blast away at the coast.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Japan. I’m sure that the Red Cross or the like will take donations and I plan to donate to the cause.
Update: Here is the URL for NHK World’s live feed.
http://www.jibtv.com/program/?page=0
or
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/
Link to Red Cross for donations: http://www.redcross.org/
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8.9… I don’t think I’ve ever heard of such a powerful earthquake. I hope damage can be kept to a minimum.
I think there was one in Chile last year, but the U.S. press couldn’t be bothered to cover it much.
This was a very big news here in Mexico (We had an 8.5 earthquake in 1985, so the country is very sensitive about them), and there was a lot of footage and warnings about possible big waves coming ashore here.
I really hope Japs can pull through. 8.9 of intensity is one of the highest I’ve heard of.
Been watching coverage and see reports of hundreds of bodies being discovered in Sendai. I feel so bad for the people of Japan right now and the quakes still keep coming.
This is very sad i really hope most my friends over there are okay i havent been able to contact most of them
Is it strange that, with the reports of the train derailments, my thoughts keep going back to Angel Beats?
@ Cholisose: Well from what i read in today’s morning newspaper, they are saying that it is the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in its recorded history & is the 5th biggest in the world since 1900.
The one which triggered the Tsunami & happened in Sumatra in 2004 was 9.1.
@Phantom — did you guys get any of the tsunami that spread throughout the Pacific?
@Anon — Yeah, I read about that. It really is sad.
@Nick — Hopefully you were able to get in contact.
@Arimareiji — Oddly enough, that topic came up in a discussion at work because I had a coworker who doesn’t believe that there are subways in Japan. ^_^;;;
The one which triggered the Tsunami & happened in Sumatra in 2004 was 9.1.
And USGS says this one was 9.1, which would make it tied for Sumatra at #3. Japanese officials have only upgraded to 9.0.
My heart goes out to all of those In japan who are going through a hard time right now and to relatives outside japan who are waiting for news of loved ones. In the mangafox forum there is now a Safe list for Mangaka and Voice actors. http://forums.mangafox.com/showthread.php?t=253362