It is too devastating to say or write anything about the earthquake now. If you are able to read Japanese and want to get the very latest news, it would probably be a good idea to check Japanese news sites. I often check http://www.asahi.com This is a good news site, but every single piece of information and picture there is just overwhelming.
I checked the site about a half hour ago and it reported that there was another explosion recognised in the nuclear power station in Fukushima a little after 6am this morning (Tuesday 15 March 2011). The working team apparently released radio-active steam from one of the reactors yesterday to prevent from the dangerous level of high heat inside the reactor. I do not know whether or not this release has properly worked.
I found another useful site in Japanese:
http://www.google.co.jp/intl/ja/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html
This site gives you all sorts of information related to the earthquake as well as the useful links.
A good news–Fukushima Daini (= the second) power station seems under control at the moment. [NB. "Daini" means 2nd and "daiichi" means 1st in Japanese.]
Tracy says:
It’s so hard to watch the news these days. What happened was so HORRIBLE and SAD!! watashiwa mainichi terebi-news wo mirutoki nakimasu. And I’m so worried about all my friends in Japan and their families, especially those who live in the areas effetced.
ima Osaka ni sundeiru tomodachi wa “kinou Osakade jishinn ga arimashita” to iimashita. I was so shocked when i heard it. Really hope nothing bad will happen~!!
Fumiko Nishimura says:
本当にそうですよね。あんまりひどくて、テレビを見たり、新聞を読んだりするのがとてもつらいです。
Tracy says:
sensei, is there any way that we can help? is there like a charity that we can donate money or daily necessities to help?
Fumiko Nishimura says:
You should be able to donate money to the Red Cross Japan.
We, the Japanese section will organise a charity event; it will be held here, at the University of Waikato at 1pm next Wednesday (23 March 2011). So you can make donation there if you like–we will send money to the Red Cross later.
I will post more detail of this charity event later.