The Day When Japan Moved

Music: 大橋トリオ-- Dancing in the moonlight Mood: multi-tasking

A magnitude 8.9 earthquake. A dumbfounding 10,000 death toll. The panic gripping nuclear plant explosions. Body bag and coffin shortage. Food, water and electricity shortage.

All happening within days in one of the most advance cities in the world.

And you thought Malaysia is horrible.

Two out- of- this- world-fortunate colleagues were in Yokohama for training when the devastating event occurred. For your info, the distance between Yokohama and Tokyo is about 130km- that’s about the distance between KL and Temerloh in Pahang. The newly named colleague- The MAN who lived never grow tired to share his ‘near-death’ experience.

(“How do I feel? I almost kissed the ground when I touched down back here!!”)

Day one- 9 Mar 11

Training room was wobbly, like placing a cup of water in a moving railway train. The Japanese Trainer was almost cool and experienced, as if it’s something that happens every fortnight, “Don’t worry!” He ensures participants from different parts of the world, “It’s very normal, happens all the time!”

So they went back to training, then shopped and drank sake through the night.

Day two- 10 Mar 11

Training room was shaking a little more aggressive than yesterday. The smiley Trainer still confidently reassured the class, “no problem! It will stop!”

So they continued training, then bought Burberry Gucci Prada and drank sake through the night.

Day three- 11 Mar 11

Training room was shaking violently at about 2pm. This time, it wiped the smile off trainer’s face to replace with a grimace.

(Credit goes to The Man Who Lived- Freddy who provided all photos.)

Everyone has to stand against the wall, away from the middle. Notice there is nothing hanging from the ceiling? All buildings across the Japan Nation is designed that way, especially new-rise buildings are engineered to be quake-proof.

Bay Quarter Shopping Centre before earthquake.

Bay Quarter Shopping Centre during earthquake at 11 March in the afternoon- shoppers gathered around the al fresco area.

Road outside Bay Quarter is in a terrible jam after closures of many other major road around the city.

…It never die down till late night.

See how swiftly notices were posted at the hotel lobby for any disrupted services including subway operating time. I once read the newspaper with a picture showing two foreigners waiting in front of a lift at LCCT, not realizing an insignificant notice by the side that says “ROSAK”.

The quaking persists through the night, hotel guests are required to open up all doors to prevent from getting stuck with a jammed door. Staffs were even nice enough to provide a complimentary supper to all guests.

The badly damaged streets of Yokohama

Frantic Japs and tourists fleeing to Haneda airport and out from the deteriorating nation.

During the entire quake episode, all shopping centres and hotels kept their doors open as shelters and call out to any wandering people on the street. Although food and water supplies are running short, citizens are still lining up to pay at counters. The needy are helping the deprived, how disciplined and helpful can these people be!

We are a generous bunch, but I can’t image if such disaster is happening here, how would the locals react under such trauma? I’ve seen an overturned lorry carrying caged chickens with injured passengers on the highway, passersby stopped their vehicles not to help the injured, but to risk their dear lives to run after chickens that ran amok on the highway. Same goes to another injured motorcyclist who was carrying bags of shillings, all the onlookers did was to seize the spilled coins, some even took off their shirts to carry more.

I have just ONE of a kind in my home:

“Is the Naruto’s author dead??? I heard bad news about the missing One Piece and Bleach authors!! I can’t take it GAAAAAHHHH!!!”

There goes the howling otaku who lives next to my room, IT eats drinks sleeps anime for survival.