Tsunami Evacuation


Rocks are exposed in our bay 20 mins before our first wave of the tsunami reaches shore.  The extremely low tide and our fringing reef prevented damage to Guam.



Biding our time outside the gate of the Naval Hospital.  Gates were locked, so all we could do was park and wait it out.  The beach ball made for a bit of family soccer fun, with 3 hours to kill, we were glad to have it in the car.



We took every precaution and drove to higher ground to wait out the tsunami warning period.  Kids were bouncing off the car walls in no time, but great sports about it all.  It's good for them to know that in an emergency, you do what you have to do, and do it quickly.



Our hearts go out to our island neighbors in Japan.  A 9.0 magnitude earthquake, a devastating tsunami, followed by a nuclear crisis that has us checking the news headlines daily, even two weeks later, is simply heart-breaking.  



The sheer magnitude of the devastation has left millions homeless, rescue workers exhausted, and entire cities in a crippling state of emergency.  Some of the elderly who remember desperate WWII conditions are experiencing a haunting sense of deja vu. 



Despite continued "no human health risk" press releases, from our government as well as Japan's, and a completely voluntary, "overly-cautious" evacuation of US military spouses and children (many of whom are now in Guam), Tokyo's water supply is contaminated, more and more foods are reading positive for radiation, and Moms are desperate to find bottled water for their children and babies, while store-keepers explain that they have no idea when their next supplies will arrive. 



All the while, radioactive smoke continues to billow from the damaged reactors, sending plumes who-knows-where.  As Japan's neighbor, I do wish that the winds would stop blowing south-east, towards Guam!!!  As we hear of higher-than-normal radiation readings in California, so far away, I can't help but worry about us, much, much closer to Fukushima.  If the reactors were in Perth, and we were in Adelaide or Darwin, would I be concerned about winds blowing our way?  Heck, yes.  And that's the distance we are from Fukushima.



Also worrying is the government's concern that fear of radiation exposure causes more damage than actual exposure.  Really?  Can I just re-read that?  So would they tell us if Guam was at risk?  What happens when you tell the population of a small island that there may be radioactive particles in their wind or rain, in the air they are breathing and their children are breathing.  What happens if the population of an island panics?  You have 8 miles one way, and 22 miles the other way to run.  I imagine the people of Fukushima and surrounding prefectures are feeling are feeling all of that with so much more intensity; not really sure if the government is being transparent in it's facts, not really sure if their health is at risk, and no-where to run anyway. 



So, as much as I wanted this blog to be about our evacuation during the tsunami warning period, and focused on our little family, my heart is really heavy with concern for our neighbors in Japan. 

How brave are the workers who are working day in and day out to prevent the meltdown that would worsen the current radioactive risk into a worldwide catastrophe?  How strong are the rescue teams working with lack of food, water, fuel, and warmth, through snow drifts, searching for trapped victims with hope in their hearts?  How admirable are the people of Japan as they face their darkest hour with calm resolve? 



I had to google the quote below... I have heard it so many times, and I wondered if it was from a bible verse.  It turns out that it is not, it is a quote from Mother Theresa:
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much". 
It turns out, God trusts Japan.