JAPAN: Tokyo wakes up to transport chaos and more news of damage from quake and tsunami

Record ID: 464998

  • Title: JAPAN: Tokyo wakes up to transport chaos and more news of damage from quake and tsunami
  • Date: 13th March 2011
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 12, 2011) (REUTERS) PEOPLE STANDING IN FRONT OF SHINBASHI STATION TO WATCH NEWS ON TV MONITOR
  • Embargoed: 28th March 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA7AJ09XZXPNI3FJ28W0JWRUY58
  • Story Text: Transport in the Japanese capital was in chaos on Saturday (March 12) after a massive earthquake shook Tokyo, knocking out power in some areas and worrying residents who were unable to go home overnight.
    As dawn broke, people were waiting for news of the aftermath of the 8.9-magnitude quake and the tsunami that followed.
    Office workers trying to make their way home stopped in front of a giant screen at Shimbashi station to watch the news.
    All railway services were suspended in the Tokyo metropolitan area on Friday (March 11) as the tremour hit, forcing thousands to spend the night in hotels or offices.
    Some lines resumed on Saturday morning.
    Office worker Kazuo Mori , 41, lay down on the street saying the gridlock wore him out.
    "There was a M5 class earthquake when I was in highschool but this earthquake was the biggest I've experienced since then. It was really frightening this time around," he said.
    The term "M5" is the highest modifier in a range that estimates a potential mortality figure following a quake.
    "At the time it was terrifying. I've never felt a quake that strong, you know but my Japanese co-workers haven't experienced anything like this either in their lifetime," said Briton Joanne Wright, who added she was not used to earthquakes as they are not common back home.
    Japan's top government spokesman asked people to evacuate to safe areas such as office buildings, and advised them not to return home if roads were still impassable.
    Office worker Kiyoshi Kanazawa, 60, said things rarely go as planned in an earthquake situation.
    "People make manuals for earthquakes, but when the earthquake actually happens, can you actually follow the manual? Everyone runs away when things are shaking, and they ask you to stop the gas and fire in your house, but you do not have enough space for this in your brain," Kanazawa said.
    "Just a little time ago, there was this earthquake in Christchurch so I did really feel scared." office worker Yumi Mawatari, 25, said.
    The massive earthquake struck Japan just weeks after a deadly 6.3-magnitude earthquake in New Zealand grabbed headlines.
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