Huge loss of life and Extensive Damage during one of the worst Earthquakes ever recorded

A state of emergency has been announced in Japan after a devastating Earthquake and Tsunami hit the Country today.  At 05.46 GMT the earthquake struck at an approximate depth of 24km.   The death toll is expected to exceed more than 1000 although no official figures have yet been released.

The 8.9 quake resulted in a Tsunami shortly afterwards which resulted in buildings, cars and ships being devastated by the powerful wave which crashed onto the coast around 250 miles away from Tokyo.

The whole of the Pacific was placed on Tsunami alert, and the first waves crashed on to the cost of Oregan.  Many people were evacuated from coastal areas in California and Washington.  The warning has now been lifted in nearly all of the affected areas including Australia, China and Indonesia.

State of Emergency after Nuclear Power Station in Japan Hit by Quake

The state of emergency was announced after the cooling system at a nuclear plant was wiped out.  So far there have been no radiation leaks according to the officials at the plant. 3000 people have been evacuated due to the problems at the Fukushima Power Plant.

Train services have stopped running which has resulted in millions of commuters have been left stranded.  Roads have been destroyed along with buildings, homes, cars and ships.  Many people stated that they have never felt such a strong earthquake, and are waiting to discover the extent of the loss of life.

One train has been reported missing along with a ship which was reported to be carrying 100 passengers.  Fires have broken out across the city including an oil refinery which suffered a major explosion.  An estimated 1800 homes have been wiped out in Minamisoma and a Dam has burst washing away more homes in Fukushima.  On top of this 4 million homes have suffered power cuts in Tokyo.

Many people have found they are stranded and having to spend the night in their work place.  Lifts have broken down in the buildings making it impossible for the workers to escape from the building.  The workers who were able to leave their buildings gathered in the car parks while the aftershocks continued.

Prepare for the Worst

Events like today do not happen frequently especially in our part of the world and our thoughts are with those who have been effected.  However it is times like these when realisations are made concerning health and safety and protecting the lives of workers and the public in the event of an emergency.

It is important to make sure that you have procedures in place to cope with any kind of disaster, large or small.  There need to be plans in place which will help you and your workers know how to react safely in the event of an accident whether caused by man’s hand or Mother Nature.

Health and Safety regulations in the workplace are there to help you protect your employees and have contingency plans in place.  Risk assessments and office and workplace safety are all essential to ensuring a safe environment.

About David Cant

A chartered (fellow) safety and risk management practitioner with 20+ years of experience. David provides a healthy dose of how-to articles, advice and guidance to make compliance easier for construction professionals, Architects and the built environment. Get social with David on Twitter and Linkedin.