Major tsunami hits Japan after 9.0 magnitude earthquake

[Medo]

I'm worried about little islands like Tuvalu that are already almost submerged by rising sea levels, this Tsunami can totally devastate them.

[mic of Orion]

Originally Posted by AndrewC

How long does it take for these kind of tsunamis to reach places? Earthquake struck about 0645 GMT, right?

a wave can reach speeds up to 300 miles per hour, co you calculate...

Originally Posted by Medo

I'm worried about little islands like Tuvalu that are already almost submerged by rising sea levels, this Tsunami can totally devastate them.

x2

[mic of Orion]

Originally Posted by wjfox

And surprise surprise, my colleagues have absolutely no interest in talking about it. I tried to make conversation - needn't have bothered.

Me: "Have you seen the news? ... Massive earthquake in Japan. 8.9 on the Richter scale!"

Them: "Yeah."

Then immediately back to gabbling away about handbags, tights, shoes, etc... I give up.

I guess in their world, as long its not them, who cares

I'd ignore them from now on, best thing is to come to to work, put your headphones on, do your job and leave, last think you need is so socialize with likes of these.

Discussing latest make up tips and what's the latest bargain, I have sense talking the likes of these IQ starts to spiral downwards pretty fast, I think talking to a dog would bare more fruitful conversation, at least it'll stair at you and try to show some interest.

[Stairz]

doesn't japan have debt 200% of gdp (octomom et al?)? beyond obvious reasons, it really does not need this.

[WatcherZero]

At least 19 dead in Japan so far when I checked the news an hour ago, I also saw the small refinery fires break out, turned on a couple of hours later and it was a blazing inferno!

[Gherkin]

^ At the moment it's 40 dead and the same number officially missing... but there are reports of missing trains, ships carrying 100 people etc. It sounds like there is no chance of nuclear disaster, it'll just be a while before they'll be able to produce power.

[ferge]

I have been streaming the bbc footage whilst at work..worrying times. Its like a real life segment of the '2012' film

[mic of Orion]

Originally Posted by Stairz

doesn't japan have debt 200% of gdp (octomom et al?)? beyond obvious reasons, it really does not need this.

Japanese commercial debt stands at around 200%,

actually just had a look, it seems Government debt is at 200% but Japan has loads of assets and most of their debt is owed to domestic banks rather than foreign banks which makes Japanese situation opposite to that of Greece or Portugal.

Japan should cut its spendings as it can't go on borrowing without long term consonances, especially for national currency which can suffer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10290933

[WatcherZero]

Sheesh just turned it on, japans always pretty bad on nuclear safety but falling water levels causing rising core temps and they cant pump in extra water from reserves or dump the rods because the emergency power has failed!

Dont they have a backup gravity rod dump?

[Jack Rabbit Slim]

I am really starting to think this wasn't the best year to be travveling round this side of the world!

Japan has been hit by natural disasters like this so often it seems, lying right next to a fault line, the structural design of their buildings though has saved many many lives.

As I think NooStairz said, it does make you grateful you don't live in Earthquake-prone, if by some feak occurance of nature a similar quake struck in the UK, the damage would be catestrophic.

[Sister Anne]

Originally Posted by wjfox

And surprise surprise, my colleagues have absolutely no interest in talking about it. I tried to make conversation - needn't have bothered.

Me: "Have you seen the news? ... Massive earthquake in Japan. 8.9 on the Richter scale!"

Them: "Yeah."

Then immediately back to gabbling away about handbags, tights, shoes, etc... I give up.

I'd gladly swap. In my office I have the world's most scientifically illiterate people offering their thoughts on what might happen when a tidal wave hits a nuclear power station.

[b4mmy]

In my office we are talking about the special effects

[Gherkin]

Yeah, great CGI

[Sister Anne]

Someone just had to google to find out what "that place in Russia where they had that accident" is called.

: (

[Octoman]

Originally Posted by Sister Anne

I'd gladly swap. In my office I have the world's most scientifically illiterate people offering their thoughts on what might happen when a tidal wave hits a nuclear power station.

kaboom?

[Sister Anne]

Originally Posted by Octoman

kaboom?

"It'll be really destructional."

[mic of Orion]

Originally Posted by Sister Anne

I'd gladly swap. In my office I have the world's most scientifically illiterate people offering their thoughts on what might happen when a tidal wave hits a nuclear power station.

I am all ears to tell

what re they saying, that plant will explode like a massive nuclear bomb or something more ominous

PS, do tell them they are utter morons and embarrassment to themselves and others around !!!


PPS, sad news, death toll just went up to near 400

My sincear condolences to bereaved R.I.P

[cle]

Must be absolutely horrific:

1356: Japanese police have now confirmed that between 200 and 300 bodies have been found on the beach near Sendai, the closest city to the epicentre. NHK television said the victims appeared to have drowned. Earlier, police said at least 60 people had been killed and 56 were missing.

from BBC live feed.

[WatcherZero]

80 missing in a boat, that trains still missing too.

Nuclear emergency declared the pumps to provide water have no primary or ermergency backup power and it looks like the ermegency core shutdown may have failed too (possibly some cooling rods misalligned due to earthquake damage) 'the shutdown process hasnt gone to plan', some experts speculated that a partial meltdown may have already occured. 2000 people have been evacuated from the area.

[Sister Anne]

Originally Posted by mic of Orion

I am all ears to tell

what re they saying, that plant will explode like a massive nuclear bomb or something more ominous

PS, do tell them they are utter morons and embarrassment to themselves and others around !!!

We've now moved on to whether Forest Gump was real.

: (((((