Tide of death: 2,000 bodies wash ashore on one stretch of coast as scientists warn Japan

[avaistheone1]

Source: Daily Mail

* Second 'monster' quake could measure have magnitude of 8
* Fears predicted 10,000 death toll could be a massive underestimate
* Crews fight to cool down reactor at nuclear power plant to bring it under control
* Millions left without food and power and hospitals have no medicine

Two thousand bodies were washed up on the shores of north-east Japan yesterday.

The horrifying tide of death in Miyagi province raised fears that the official expected toll of 10,000 could be a huge under-estimate.

Bodies wrapped in blue tarpaulins were laid on military stretchers and lined up for collection.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366093/Japan

[aquart]

1. What other areas have vanished according to Google?

Besides Miyagi?

[jtuck004]

2. "Millions left without food and power " - so people who are safe today are probably going to die.

Because it will take the delivery of millions of packages of 800 calorie a day food, and water? Every day. For how long? And into a country foreign country where those who need your help are hearing that there may be some danger where they are and they need to leave. I did a little searching on Haiti for numbers (seemed like around a million to a million and a half that had to be fed), but now we are talking multiples of that.

Can Japan alone muster the resources for this?

Who stockpiles that much stuff? How long to mfr and distribute?

[aikanae]

3. Japan isn't Hati

There are a number of differences between them. The primary one is that Japan is fairly wealthy with about 3 trillion in reserves and had some infra-structure to support it's citizens. I don't want to discount what has happened in any way. But Japan's economics isn't the most troubling aspect at this point. Haiti was and still is impoverished with no infra-structure. Japan could have been much worse.

[jtuck004]

4. Yea, I know they have all that money. But you can't eat money.

Well, I guess you could. Top Ramen only has about 190 calories, not enough, but with a little 100 yen confetti...

Who has millions of MRE's (? perhaps) sitting around? Who has millions of bottles of water? Yes, they have the money to buy supplies. Then they have to get them to where people have been evacuated from the reactor zone, and into this constant stream of refugees from other regions. And then into their hands. Calmly.

I'm talking logistics. Tough to line up millions of people for food.

It could take a week just to begin to see supplies in really-significant-enough numbers begin to stage, then you have to distribute.

And that doesn't take into account the babies being delivered and the lack of medicine or sanitation.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. 'Millions of people' is still a small percentage of the population of Japan - about 120 million

So, yes, they probably do have the necessary supplies to feed displace people, indefinitely. A lack of medicines in the worst affected areas may be the most significant problem - that could have a quick effect, before deliveries from other areas can happen. But the thing is that, due to decent building codes, the earthquake itself did not cause catastrophic damage. The tsunami did - in the coastal area; but that is limited to that area. The higher ground, close by, is still 'functioning' as a place to live. And the roads are still largely usable , or quickly clearable.

[Ex Lurker]

6. the devastation is concentrated in a relatively small area

in the northeast of the country and within just a few miles of the coast. That area is almost wiped clean, but the rest of Japan is fairly unscathed. Well, except for potential fallout, but that's a different issue. Provided they get the reactors under control, Japan should be able to take care of its own people by and large.

[jtuck004]

7. Map I saw has damage over 300 miles of the coast and as

far inland as 20-30 miles. I know there are different amounts of damage, but this
little country that everyone says can handle it is already reporting
shortages of water and food, stores empty, no supply. Weather shows freezing at
night with light snow.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/flash/newsgraphics/2011/0311-japan-earthquake-map/index.html

They operate a lot leaner than most Americans are used to, I think.

We will see...

[intaglio]

8. Do you know what the term "Jeremiad" means?

Because you should get round to writing one.

Firstly water. Local to the areas affected by the 'quake/tsunami water supplies are shot but further away they have been restored, if they had lost them at all. If there were water shortages at evac centres they would move the evac centres.

Secondly lack of food. Well start off by familiarising yourself with the diet in the area you are wailing about. Rice and ramen noodles are the primary carbohydrate sources for many Japanese and will provide most of the calorific needs. These items are stockpiled because the Japanese have feared the big one for decades. Some protein is needed and the Japanese stockpile a lot of that as well - it just is not meat protein.

[jtuck004]

12. Do you know what the term "Polyanish" means?

Must be nice to sit some distance away and pretend others don't have a problem because the resources are only a finger's width away on a map.

It sounds like your facts are wrong. They are reporting that people spent their third night without food or water, so perhaps rice and ramen noodles aren't providing the caloric needs, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY OM THEIR HANDS WHERE IT COUNTS. Having a bunch of stuff in a warehouse doesn't get hungry kids fed, or deliver food and water over roads that are so blocked with filled with broken cars, boats, and homes that even dozens of bulldozers will take days to clear a road. Having done this more than once I have personal experience that you can have great tragedy surrounded by people who are eating well, because they just don't see it or because they are too afraid to act.

No point in answering this one, since your post already has all the answers.

[intaglio]

16. I do know what a Pollyanna is

but not a Polyanish. I do not think that everything is fine and will turn out for the best; indeed I am certain that things in Japan are worse than either of us can possibly imagine.

However I am not worried about food and water supples, for inventing problems where none exist is not my style. Check things before you write them and correct them if you are wrong. I warned you about being a Jeremiah and see no reason to take that warning back.

[jtuck004]

17. Personal report from Japan

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=643203&mesg_id=643203

"I'm thinking of running away to Osaka depending on the condition of the nuclear plants.

As for the northern part of Japan, the food scarcity, the shortage of water, and the blankets are insufficient. We need help."

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. What does the pink shading indicate?

It can't be tsunami damage - look at the 'nuclear power plant' option, which gives a terrain map, and you see the pink goes well into mountainous areas.

[bigworld]

14. I =think= that's just the area where EQ damage was reported

[Zephie]

10. Oh my god

true horror.

[Uncle Joe]

11. What a terrible tragedy.

:(

Thanks for the thread, avaistheone.

[Arugula Latte]

13. I can't shake the feeling that this scenario is in my future.

I'm afraid the Pacific subduction zone will blow out relatively soon, and those of us in the Northwest face a similar fate.

[defendandprotect]

15. Japan is suffering these tragedies now ...

Heartbreaking -- shocking -- their loved ones washing back onto shore --

Who could imagine such horror for a nation and its people?

But we all have to get serious about the message here for all of us -- !!

We must stop the exploitation of nature -- we are dependent upon it --

When we harm nature we are harming ourselves -- nothing could be clearer !!

We must find a way to move corporations out of our lives -- and return to

more humane ways of living!!


As someone else noted, US began this atomic horror in Japan at Nagasaki and Hiroshima --

and perhaps -- Fates willing -- it will end here!!


So too should "Manifest Destiny" and "Man's Dominion Over Nature" end -- they simply

exist to give license for exploitation of nature by the few -- for profit.