April 23, 2011 (Lemon Grove)—Soroptimist International of Lemon Grove recently created and shipped four handmade quilts to their sister club, Soroptimist International of Yamaguchi, which will auction the quilts on May 8 at a special bazaar. Proceeds will benefit displaced victims of the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear radiation disaster in Japan which have left over a half million people homeless.

By Higuchi Takayuki

April 16, 2011 (Tokyo)—After living in San Diego for three years, while I attended grad school at SDSU and worked as an intern for East County Magazine, I returned home to Tokyo and now live about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from where the powerful 9.0 earthquake struck. My friend, a student in Sendai, witnessed the devastation first-hand near the epicenter of the quake, then experienced a harrowing survival following the tsunami.

Each person has his or her own story in life. Yet, often we are too busy to share it. Strangely, a tragedy like this gives us the opportunity to show we are each a piece of a moment in time. So, I would like to share our stories.

"You may remember that when the City of San Diego experienced the devastating wildfires in 2007, the citizens of Yokohama donated over one million yen to the Wildfire Disaster Relief Fund." -- Harry Bishop, San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society

March 21, 2011 (San Diego) – Victims of the 2007 wildfires our region received help from San Diego's sister city, Yokahama Japan. Now, some local residents are seeking to give back to Japanese people in need. The San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society is establishing a disaster relief fund for victims of the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

“We are asking everyone to join us to help those who lost loved ones, homes, and communities to this disaster,” Harry Bishop told East County Magazine.

Fundraiser to provide Japan relief set for March 25

By Jeremy Los

March 16, 2011 (San Diego) -- Following the destruction of the 9.0 magnitude quake and tsunami that hit Japan last Thursday,  many on the San Diego State campus feared for those studying abroad and for the families of the over 100 Japanese students at SDSU.  Shortly after the tsunami, SDSU confirmed on its website that at least 12 of the 16 students studying in Japan were safe and unharmed. The other 4 students were also believed safe because they were studying hundreds of miles away from the areas hardest hit.

“As it stands now all sixteen students traveling abroad in Japan are safe and we’ve communicated to each directly,” SDSU Media Relations Manager Gina Jacobs advised ECM in a subsequent update.

Rescued dogs now trained to rescue people

March 15, 2011 (San Diego) –Twelve search dog teams, including six from California and six from Virginia, are now on the ground in Japan searching for survivors. “It’s a very warm story. These were all shelter dogs,” Janet Reineck of the National Search Dog Foundation in Ojai, California, told East County Magazine.

Now the rescued dogs help rescue humans following some of the most devastating disasters in history.

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2011 (San Diego) – The U.S. S. Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier based out of San Diego, has repositioned after detecting radioactive fallout from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant in Japan that has undergone a partial meltdown. According to Captain Thom Burke, commanding officer, all personnel aboard are “safe and healthy.”

The ship has been deployed to assist in relief efforts following the devastating earthquake and tsunami, which has left an estimated 10,000 dead and many more missing in Japan.

March 13, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A string of catastrophies in Japan, starting with one of the strongest earthquakes in recorded history, which triggered a tsunami and multiple nuclear plant failures, is epic in scale.

Here are the latest headlines on the crisis in Japan, and how it may impact the rest of the world:

 
• Japanese earthquake: footage of moment tsunami hit (BBC)
• Japan death toll estimates surpass 10,000 (CBS News)
• Six injured in another Fukushima nuclear power blast (NHK)
• Exodus from Japan nuclear power plant (BBC)
• Quake moved Japan coast 8 feet, shifted earth on its axis (CNN)
• Meltdown caused nuclear power plant explosion: Safety body (Nikkei)
• Japan declares emergency at third reactor; 170,000 evacuated (Honolulu Star Advertiser)
• Criticism of Japan’s nuclear response (CNN)
• Japan declares nuclear emergency (BBC)
• Japan brings money home to rebuild: Could send dollar plummeting; lead to sharp slide in treasuries (Reuters)
• Toyota, other automakers suspend production (Kyodo News)
• Japan’s quake, tsunami could have lessons for U.S. (NPR)
• Quake is 5th biggest, but Japan best prepared (Yahoo News)

U.S., other nations issue travel warnings for Japan; France and Germany advise citizens to leave Tokyo

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2011 (San Diego) – Over 200,000 people have been evacuated from a 20-mile radius around nuclear plants at Fukushima, Japan, where cooling system failures have caused partial core meltdowns at two reactors and a third remains at risk. A fourth nuclear plant at Onagawa has declared a low-level emergency due to radiation detected.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan calls the combined impacts of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis the “worst since World War II.” France and Germany warn citizens to get out of Tokyo, citing radiation fears. Numerous nations include the U.S. advise against non-essential travel to Japan. The International Skating Union has announced it may cancel next week’s Worlds figure skating championships in Tokyo, 140 miles from the Fukushima reactors.

By Jeremy Los

March 12, 2011 (San Diego) -- The massive 9.1 earthquake-fourth worst in recorded history--and subsequent tsunami in Japan Friday has left the world reeling. More than 1,300  are dead, Modern Tokyo Times reports, and 88,000 missing according to Business News. Today, 150,000 have been evacuated due to emergencies at nuclear reactors.  

The effects of these disasters are being felt around the world—including locally.  Now some arelooking to extend a helping hand. The relief effort following the tsunami will  be a massive undertaking, and donations are urgently sought.

MASS EVACUATIONS UNDERWAY DUE TO NUCLEAR CRISIS;

80,000 MISSING, 1,300 CONFIRMED DEAD FROM QUAKE & TSUNAMI

Update March 12, 2011 (8 a.m.) -- An explosion rocked the nuclear plant at Fukishima Daiichi during the night, sending plumes of smoke billowing forth. However Japanese authorities say the fire was at a pumping station that failed, not the reactor core. 

The threat of a melt-down remains as officials try to cool reactors at two facilities damaged by the earthquake (upgraded to a 9.1), tsunami and now, fire. 

March 11, 2011 (San Diego) – Southern California beaches are closing this morning as a precaution following a powerful 8.9 earthquake that rocked Japan last night, killing hundreds from the temblor and a tsunami that subsequently struck Japan.

San Diego is currently under a tsunami advisory, a lower level than a tsunami warning.  The tsunami's impact is expected to begin between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. locally and will continue for 10 to 12 hours after the initial wave arrival.

Tsunami warnings have been issued for countries and islands across the Pacific and much of the U.S. west coast.

TOKYO FLOODED BY TSUNAMI

TSUNAMI COULD REACH SAN DIEGO FRIDAY  

AT 8:41 A.M.

TSUNAMI WATCHES/WARNINGS ISSUED FOR HAWAII, ALASKA, CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, AUSTRALIA, RUSSIA, TAIWAN, GUAM, PHLIPPINES, INDONESIA, MARIANAS ISLANDS, SOUTH AMERICA, ANTARCTICA & MORE

Japan also rattled by 7.0 quake today

February 27, 2010 – A powerful earthquake struck Chile off the coast of Maule during the night. The U.S. Geological Survey has upgraded the quake to 8.8.  A tsunami warning has been issued for coastal areas in Chile and Peru; a nine-foot tsunami wave has been reported.