We are at the hospital some 30 metres off the ground and I see the article on the side of the wall about the town. I know I keep thinking of the tsunami as being one giant wave when it was more like a series of increasing volumes of water getting pushed inward. Such a thing is demonstrated at Onagawa Bay. Most people reaching the hospital thought they would be ok as they reached the plateau of the elevated land. Apparently, many rushed to out to look at the whirlpool forming in the mouth of the bay unaware that behind them, a second rush of water was approaching. This second surge of water claimed the lives of the people in the hospital parking lot and even the entire first floor of the hospital was flooded out. People surviving were on the other floors or watching from the temple steps high up in the hills. This hospital is at least 35 metres above the ground. Really gives you an appreciation of the power of the water and the height of the water levels.
We bought some stuff from the gift shop to support the rebuilding of the area. We even saw a few tour buses so I wasn`t the only one interested in seeing what happened. It is one thing to see it in a picture or on the news but another to take a look at a whole town and see it piled up against the side of a hill. Awe inspiring in the worst way.
One of the most brutal videos I`ve seen on Youtube is the one of Minami-Sanriku, Miyagi taken from the hill. It is chilling to watch the approaching mist of water and see in the foreground cars and trucks trying to find an out among the winding, narrow roads and knowing they are going to get swept away in seconds. Still more disturbing are the people running to make the hill as entire houses are being pushed rapidly towards them. The camerman mercifully cuts away so as if not to see them swept away. In the bottom left of the video, you can also see people trying to help elderly in their wheelchairs and they seem to get swept away. The guy who took the video says they everyone got away but I wonder. No such thing as outrunning a tsunami. Once in that storm of debris, you`re in trouble. I`m not sure if the video is more distrubing because I can understand and hear people wailing for their mothers and fathers. Chilling.
Video link to Minami-Sanriku being washed away. Viewer Discretion Advised.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vZR0Rq1Rfw&feature=player_embedded
We bought some stuff from the gift shop to support the rebuilding of the area. We even saw a few tour buses so I wasn`t the only one interested in seeing what happened. It is one thing to see it in a picture or on the news but another to take a look at a whole town and see it piled up against the side of a hill. Awe inspiring in the worst way.
One of the most brutal videos I`ve seen on Youtube is the one of Minami-Sanriku, Miyagi taken from the hill. It is chilling to watch the approaching mist of water and see in the foreground cars and trucks trying to find an out among the winding, narrow roads and knowing they are going to get swept away in seconds. Still more disturbing are the people running to make the hill as entire houses are being pushed rapidly towards them. The camerman mercifully cuts away so as if not to see them swept away. In the bottom left of the video, you can also see people trying to help elderly in their wheelchairs and they seem to get swept away. The guy who took the video says they everyone got away but I wonder. No such thing as outrunning a tsunami. Once in that storm of debris, you`re in trouble. I`m not sure if the video is more distrubing because I can understand and hear people wailing for their mothers and fathers. Chilling.
Video link to Minami-Sanriku being washed away. Viewer Discretion Advised.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vZR0Rq1Rfw&feature=player_embedded