Anyone affected by the earthquake in Japan?

People need food and water desperately.
Wish we could get more to them. It's so sad.

I think the only thing we can do from this side of the world is donate to organizations who will be on the ground soon to help.

Yes... unfortunately that is all we can do.
I have donated to Red Cross and points at Aeroplan.... but still feeling it is not enough to meet immediate needs.

Want to have water and food go to these people NOW.
Almost want to fill up 3 big suitcases with food and take them to these hungry people myself.
Think of how many tins of tuna we could get into 3 suitcases.
This whole disaster is getting to me. I prepare meals for my family and my heart aches for the hungry in Japan.

I want to assure you that people are not in as desperate need as CNN anxiously reports. Yes, aid is slow, yes fuel is in short supply, but all in all considering what has happened most are calm and being taken care of. The scale is unimaginable, it is the distance from Toronto to London wiped out in a blink of an eye. All we really have is continued hope that everyday things will get slowly better. I have great confidence in the population to bounce back from this.......and we have to show confidence in them too! IMO the anxious reporting of many news outlets is not helping....

New fire at reactor 4 in the daiichi plant as of 05:45 AM JST, no further info is available at the time of this post !

We are being told that people near the radiation area are suppose to stay inside of their homes and seal their windows. If they can't go out, how can they get food and water? That is what I was referring to.

Again thank you for keeping us informed here.

QSG, thanks for the update. Glad people are staying calm there!

Some reputable relief organizations are ramping up help. These orgs need dollars and need $ donations.

As I understand it they are being (or have been ordered) to evacuate within a 30 KM radius. There was now a live telephone call with one of the affected on NHK-G and he did ask how they should go out of the area if they didn't have enough fuel. Perhaps they should start to move the estimated 500,000 homeless to areas in the south, north and west ! Lots of usable and vacant housing in most rural parts of Japan even in quite a few of the main cities. But the movement of 500,000 people would be not the easiest.

LH is diverting their flights to/from NRT to KIX for the next week.
http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/78587.html

I did like Emperor Akihito's broadcast message: ''I sincerely hope that the people will overcome this unfortunate time by engendering a sense of caring for other people."

The Emperor's address to the nation is quite telling as he only addresses the nation in time of war or deep crisis.

He does make public appearances and speeches, especially during birthdays and New Years holidays(Western media just do not report on it, nor should they). His sons and their families also make many speeches and attend functions throughout the year. He is also in somewhat poor health.

Language used to describe nuclear concerns in Japan reckless hyberbole.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/wo...borders reckless hyperbole/4452275/story.html

It is what I have been saying...it is not like the populace is un-educated or ambivalent to not be worried! But faced with this crisis at least they are conducting themselves in a less than hysterical manner. I also ask the question (and this frightens me) what are we as Canadians doing about a government (our own) that is clearly not interested in helping its own citizens? I am really beyond belief with the response of the Prime Minister and the Embassy in Tokyo! Very little is being covered on this in the Canadian press. What does that mean when tragedy such as this should strike in Canada.....will we be able to handle ourselves accordingly well? Does any government body have a serious plan? Will the central government take care of its citizens? At this present time I am feeling completely let down.........