After the 8.9 magnitude earthquake, many students attempt to contact friends and relatives



On March 10 at 10 p.m. PST, an earthquake of magnitude 8.9—20 times stronger than the 7.1 magnitude 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake— hit the coast of Sendai, Japan. The sudden shift of tectonic plates caused a tsunami that inundated millions of homes along the coast of Japan and had effects as far reaching as the western coast of North America.

For some MVHS students and alumni, the disaster caused them to frantically call friends and relatives in the area of disaster to make sure they were safe. However, due to phone lines being down and power outages all over the affected area, some could not instantly communicate with their loved ones.

“I just emailed my dad [in Tokyo] last night, but he didn’t respond because power is probably out. He should be fine because he lives an hour [from the epicenter],” said Class of 2010 alumna Hiromi Meguro.

Millions of commuters in populated regions remain stranded. The current death toll of the earthquake and tsunami has risen to 680 as of March 12 1:30 p.m. PST,, with thousands still missing. Fortunately, most of Japan’s sturdy buildings have withstood the shaking. But it is evident that millions of homes and possessions were severely damaged. Recent communication has revealed that there may be billions of dollars in damages to not only in Japan but also in South Pacific islands such as Hawaii.

“[My family friend] in Japan called and said her house on the beach was completely destroyed,” said senior Lucia Lin, who has numerous acquaintances in the country.

Despite assurances from the Japanese government that most residents remain safe, the MVHS community continued to flood Facebook and Tumblr with posts reaching out to the residents of the island nation. Senior Svadharma Keerthi was able to connect with friends in the country only half an hour after the major earthquake.

“I [contacted my friends] at around 10:30 p.m. on March 10. They were [in Tokyo], so their area wasn’t affected. [But] even though they were hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter, phone lines were shaking,” Keerthi said.

The situation in the country still remains very dire. On the morning of March 12, the Japanese government dispatched 50,000 rescue workers to the northeast region of the country. Over 200,000 people have already been admitted to temporary shelters. To assist, the U.S., Australia and other nations are also currently making plans for possible rescue missions and relief efforts. Even those who have confirmed the safety of their family and friends remain concerned about the aftermath of the disaster.

“[My family] is just concerned with those who are really close to us in Japan, because we have a lot of family friends who were affected,” Lin said.