Instead of trying to keep up with several groups of friends, I decided to try out a blog to update everyone on the effects of the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan.
As many of you have heard, I was home in our apartment on the 22nd floor of Moto Azabu Hills Tower. Ironically, I was on the internet, looking at photos from the great San Francisco earthquake that had recently been found. From the beginning, this earthquake felt much different than any of the many other tremors I have felt in the last 5 years. It started with a bigger jolt, and the swaying of the apartment lasted for several loooong minutes. We have a set of sliding door room dividers that can separate our living area from our den. They would slide all the way from one side of the room and then back to the other. A big mirror that sits on top of a chest crashed to the floor (didn't break the glass!) and several other items flew off shelves. The creaking sound of the building moving was really eerie.
I, of course, didn't react as instructed. I should have 1) propped open the door to the main hallway so I would be able to get to the emergency stairs 2) put on a hard hat 3) sat down on the floor in a doorway or enclosed room away from glass and falling objects. Instead, I stood in the middle of the apartment, trying to decide which way to turn and swearing like a sailor! It was those sliding doors that bothered me most, and for a brief while I tried to stop them from moving.
Steve was in a cab about 3 blocks from home. The cab was stopped at a red light and Steve said it felt like he was on a boat rocking back and forth. When the light turned green, the cabbie didn't want to move, but Steve shouted at him to GO! GO! GO!...so he did, and Steve was home within a matter of minutes. He called me on the intercom from the lobby to say he was safe.
Jane's big mistake #2...Once Steve called, I put on my shoes and ran down 22 flights of stairs. When I got there Steve asked "Where's your passport, id, $, cellphone etc."? If we had not been allowed back in the building I would have been out of luck. Fortunately, after about an hour, we were allowed to go back to our apartment, UP 22 flights. We immediately turned on the TV and started watching CNN. We felt several large aftershocks.
About 5pm we decided to get outside for some fresh air. We walked a few blocks to our local noodle shop. We sat and watched hundreds of people walk by. With all the subways/trains stopped there were hundreds of thousands of people all over the city walking toward home.
We had a rather sleepless night, with aftershocks coming with regularity.
Saturday, March 12
Didn't think to go to the grocery store last night, so I walked there about 10 am Saturday morning. Shelves were already being stripped of food. I bought enough food for several days, along with some bottled water. People weren't being greedy, but I could tell that they were getting prepared for what might happen next. Except for the food stores, the streets of Azabu Juban and Hiroo are unusually vacant. People are not out and about. Spent a long time trying to get information about trains/buses to airport, but information was sketchy and conflicting. Steve was to have flown to Australia Friday night, so he's anxious to find out any information. Ate dinner at our favorite pizza place. Again, the restaurant was nearly deserted. Fewer aftershocks in the night which made for better rest.
Sunday, March 13
Nothing on the website for Narita Express about train schedule interruption. Narita Express information line is not answered. At least the airport limousine website noted that with the earthquake they were running a very few routes. We walked to the ANA Hotel, and their information was that no Narita Express would run, and that buses would run from TCAT only on a limited basis and to allow 4 hours. We walked on to Capitol Hotel and were told the same thing, except that it would tak 2 hours on the bus. We then walked on to Tokyo Station, walked right into the JR office and were told that the trains had been running on schedule all day. Steve bought a ticket for early Monday morning.
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