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Christchurch New Zealand Pounded By New Earthquakes

Christchurch New Zealand Pounded By New Earthquakes

Three large earthquakes have rocked the Christchurch, New Zealand region. The first, currently listed as a magnitude 5.8 by the US Geological Survey, struck at 1:58 pm local time. It was followed by a shock measuring magnitude 5.3 at 2:06 pm. A third earthquake of magnitude 5.8 occurred on the south Island of New Zealand while this report was being prepared. (Third quake may be an error by USGS.) The New Zealand region was devastated by … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Original writing, Reporting

East Coast Rocked By Earthquake

An earthquake currently being measured as 5.9 on the Richter Scale struck central Virginia at 1:51 pm EDT today. The epicenter was located 39 miles NW of Richmond, Virginia. The US Geological Survey report on the earthquake can be found at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/usc0005ild.php. The quake was felt from South Carolina to Binghamton, New York. Current reports on Twitter are that many buildings in Washington DC have been evacuated, the Pentagon and the Capitol among them. Many East Coast airports have instituted ground stops. Damage reported to brick buildings in DC’s Chinatown. Hartford, CT felt the quake. New York City felt the quake. Philadelphia felt the quake. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Original writing, Reporting

School Survives Japan Tsunami

School Survives Japan Tsunami

Here is an interesting tale from the Japanese tsunami. As part of the US relief efforts, we are cleaning the school up so that it can resume its original task, education. Fire trucks raced down the street as sirens blared and fire men shouted “the tsunami is coming, the tsunami is coming,” Takayuki Watabe, the chief curriculum coordinator at a school in Matsushima, Japan, recalls the day the Great East Japan Earthquake struck the area, March … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Earthquake Japan, Humanitarian Assistance, Military

Marine CBRNE Team Moved to Japan

Marine CBRNE Team Moved to Japan

A team of Marines specifically trained to operate in chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological environments is deploying to Japan, Defense Department officials said today. A 155-member initial response force composed of Marines from Naval Support Facility Indian Head, Md., could arrive in Japan as early as tomorrow, said Navy Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Pentagon spokeswoman. The unit is part of the Chemical, Biological, and Incident Response Force. The initial response force will support the U.S. on-scene commander … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Earthquake Japan, Marines, Military

Over 7000 Dependents Moved From Japan

The U.S. military continues to assist the voluntary departure from Japan of eligible Defense Deparment family members. To date, a total of 7,001 eligible family members, including 394 pets, have been transported in the voluntary authorized departure, known as Operation Pacific Passage. Most families choosing to temporarily relocate were transported by military contract aircraft. The few remaining family members will be transported over the next few days. Joint Task Force 505 was recently established to conduct Operation Pacific Passage at the direction of the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Robert Willard. “Our current focus has the been the orderly processing and movement of eligible military family members who have chosen to temporarily relocate to the United States,” said Lt. Gen. Kenneth Glueck, commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Earthquake Japan, Humanitarian Assistance, Military

Navy Divers Help Clear Japanese Harbor

Navy Divers Help Clear Japanese Harbor

Salvage support is increasing with the arrival of the Rescue and Salvage ship USNS Safeguard, along with personnel and assets from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5, and Underwater Construction Team 2 March 25, 2011. Their salvage recovery missions will assist the Japanese Coast Guard as recovery efforts continue in the city. Safeguard, stationed in Sasebo, Japan, is the Navy’s only forward-deployed rescue and salvage ship. It is specifically designed to perform combat salvage, lifting, towing, manned … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Earthquake Japan, Humanitarian Assistance, Military

Voluntary Departures Wind Down at Yokosuka

The last large group of Department of Defense dependents departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka on March 24 as authorized by the voluntary military-assisted departure (VMAD). On March 16th, the U.S. Department of State authorized the voluntary, military-assisted departure for eligible dependents of U.S. service members and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians assigned to installations on the main island of Honshu, Japan. The departure was authorized due to a deteriorating situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northern Honshu after a 9.0 earthquake and the tsunami that hit the plant on March 11. VMAD should not be confused with the term evacuation, as military and DoD civilians were not directed to leave. Each family had to make the decision based on factors for their unique situation. “The best thing we have … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Earthquake Japan, Humanitarian Assistance, Military

Navy Produces Fresh Water for Nuke Fight

Navy Produces Fresh Water for Nuke Fight

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) began transferring fresh water to two fuel barges, which will be used to support cooling efforts at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant March 25. A total of 1.89 million litres (500,000 gallons) are being distributed between the barges that have been cleaned of fuel to support fresh water. The first Barge YOGN-115 departed CFAY at approximately 11:00 a.m. and will be escorted by a Japan Maritime Self Defense … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Earthquake Japan, Military

Training Paying Off for Air Force Radiation Techs

Training Paying Off for Air Force Radiation Techs

Among the typical crews for disaster relief in mainland Japan is an atypical crew. Amid concerns for the environment, two Airman from the 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron’s Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight has responded to the disasters there. While other crews from here perform search-and-rescue operations and work to restore power in the neighboring cities, the 18th AMDS have deployed to Honshu island, sometimes known as mainland Japan, to aid Yokota AB in the testing for radiation and other … Read entire article »

Filed under: Disasters, Earthquake Japan, Medicine, Military