Earthquakes!

It’s been a rough couple of days in Kyushu. The earth has been shaking almost continuously. At last count, there have been around 350 tremors. The odd thing that happens is that when the tremors stop, it still feels like the ground is moving. We have been asking our neighbors and they all agree that it’s hard to feel stable. Everything feels…shaky. We have been wearing helmets and keeping the dogs on leash. Our upstairs is a mess with bookshelves toppled over and various things strewn on the floor. This is minor compared to the many homes that have been destroyed. 

The earthquakes have been moving along a path extending some 100 km. Tsukahara is in that path. There is a sense of unease. No one knows where the next big one will hit. As I write this blog an aftershock is occurring. I don't know when this will stop.

 

We have been trying to sleep in our car. The epicenter has been in Kumamoto, but the entire region has been shaken. A very severe storm is approaching and the greatest fear is landslides. Food and supplies will be hard to obtain in the short term. Many of the major roads have been damaged and it’s difficult to get around. Yufuin has had problems with obtaining water. The power outages are countless. To make matters worse, a nearby volcano (Mt.Aso) is erupting.  It’s so depressing to see that so many of the dead and injured are elderly.

 

The Japanese spirit is strong and the people will rise again to return things to normal. That’s one of the great things about this country, the people are amazingly resilient.      George