Last updated – April 27, 2011 9:25 a.m. MST
On Friday, March 11, 2011, an 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck Japan around 2:46 p.m. (JST), triggering a tsunami alert and eventually one of the biggest catastrophes for Japan since World War II with blackouts, fire and a tsunami.
The earthquake even triggered a tsunami warning for countries all around the Pacific ocean and caused damage to parts of Hawai’i and areas on the coast of California including Santa Cruz.
Currently, according to Japan Today and the Los Angeles Times:
Prime Minister Naoto Kan is considering setting up a big underground tank in the compound of the radiation-spewing Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to prevent contaminated water from spilling into the sea
Efforts are under way to stabilize overheated nuclear fuel rods and keep water temperatures in reactors in check but new challenges have emerged such as dealing with a large volume of contaminated water found inside the No. 4 reactor building.
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko paid their first visit to northeastern Japan on Wednesday since the March 11 mega earthquake and tsunami devastated the Tohoku region
Officials are concerned that a lingering sense of hopelessness among quake victims may drive them to take their own lives. Authorities have provided hotlines, therapy and counseling in hopes of averting more deaths.
11,889 people are missing
14,435 people are now known to have died
AzNow.Biz will provide you with updates of the effects of the earthquake, tsunami and its impact on the world.