"Being there..." (Out at Sea during the Earthquake.)

[AsahinaKimi]

Mainichi reporter at sea when quake hit describes encounter with disaster


Rubble covers Shogabuta beach -- previously a beautiful bathing spot -- in Shichigahama, Miyagi Prefecture. (Mainichi)



On March 11, 2011, the day a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan, 61-year-old Mainichi reporter Yutaka Watanabe was on a boat in Matsushima Bay, Miyagi Prefecture. Below he describes his encounter with the disaster.

On the afternoon of March 11, I happened to be on a boat operated by the city of Shiogama, in Miyagi Prefecture. I was on my way back after covering a junior high school graduation ceremony on one of the Urato Islands off Shiogama, and was conversing happily with the 30 or so passengers on the boat, including some graduates who don't live on the island.

At 2:46 p.m. the boat suddenly started shaking up and down, and several passengers let out screams. The sea was foaming as if it had been struck by torrential rain. After standing still for several minutes, the boat made its way straight to the port in Shiogama, and we scrambled up to the third floor of the Marine Gate Shiogama passenger terminal, where about 200 people had taken shelter.

I think it was about an hour after that that I noticed a change in the sea.

"The water level and flow of the tide has changed, I thought." Several seconds later the tsunami hit.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110328p2a00m0na022000c.html

[girl gone mad]

1. k & r

[Mnemosyne]

2. I cannot imagine the horror. K&R for more eyes. n/t