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| Japan's place in the world. The island nation is literally off the East coast of mainland Asia. It's closest neighbours are South and North Korea, China and Russia. The Philippines is to Japan's immediate South. To the far east is Hawaii, North and South America. Japan is most famous for its technology, car manufacturing and futuristic cities not to mention giving birth to the bullet train (been in use since the 1960s). Of course anime and manga which has been a popular export of Japanese society since 1960s alongside technology, cars and culture. |
The Ring of Fire the seismic meeting place of the Pacific Ocean where all the world's most violent and unpredictable volcanoes and tectonic plates meet, have devastated Japan with rare back to back mega earthquakes in less than a week. The first earthquake hit in Japan on Thursday, April 14th. It led to hundreds of thousands of evacuation of men, elderly, women and children. The second earthquake a 7.3 magnitude hit the city of Kumamoto in the Kyushu Island in Southern Japan on Saturday, April 15th. Earthquakes and tsunamis have a long history across the Pacific Region. Many people are dazed and afraid to return to their homes and businesses fearing another unexpected earthquake or tsunami might rear itself up again. Throughout the decades and centuries, Japanese people have been bracing themselves for the magnitude and scale of destruction. However, mega earthquakes are cruelly unpredictable and come randomly with limited time for evacuations. So far, some 40 people have been declared dead by the double earthquake while 120,000 people have been made homeless. There is good news. An 8 month old baby girl was pulled from the rubble following Friday's earthquake. The last mega earthquake other than the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear diaster and tsunami was the infamous 1995 Kobe earthquake. It's usually the rolling aftershocks that can be more fatal and devastating than the actual earthquake. The residents of Kumamoto and the wider Kyushu region are also facing rising health problems as result of the pollutants and contamination exposed by the earthquake.
Terromoto en Ecaudor Abril 15, 2016
Across the Pacific in Ecuador, a 7.8 magnitude of an earthquake most likely an aftershock of Southern Japan's double quake, hit the calm and peaceful country of Ecuador. It destroyed buildings and lives in the Esmeraldas region, home to the large Afro Ecuadoran population (Afroecuatorianos) and their unique culture. The death tolls stands at 272 people. The epic centre was in Ecuador's north western coast in the town of Manta. Ordinary Ecuadorian are pleading with the government and other citizens for help and aid to rescue both trapped and survivors under the rubble. South America seems to share the aftershocks of any major earthquakes in Japan. Ecuador's last major earthquake was in 1949 during the Ambato Earthquake. It is regarded as the worst earthquake in the Western Hemisphere.
Sismo terremoto 7,8 en Ecuador RT Noticias Espanol (RT News)
PS: Natural disasters have a unique way of bringing the world closer together even putting politics aside to allow conflicting nations to help one another for citizens' well being.
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