Hands Across the Water

Saturday, March 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)
Minamisanriku in Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan, shown submerged after Friday's 8.9 earthquake-triggered tsunami

I first learned about the quake in Japan within an hour or so of it happening and have spent the intervening hours heartsick and hooked on news until a sense of wallowing in helplessness overwhelmed me and I switched from watching and reading about it to putting this post together even as I wonder what the point is in putting up a post that duplicates what is done elsewhere in more comprehensive fashion. But if nothing else this will serve as a place for me to store the useful links I've collected for my own convenience.

Meanwhile my heart, my hope and my prayers are with the people of Japan.

As I write this, there are reports that a partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor damaged in the quake is underway....



How to help:

Mercy Corp
Peace Wind Japan
Facebook Disaster Relief



How to stay informed:

• Asahi Shimbun, Japan's biggest newspaper --Facebook page -- English-website
• Twitter hashtags: #japan, #prayforjapan and #tsunami
• Google Crisis and Response page
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
• BreakingNews.com
• U.K's Guardian's live updates

How to locate or communicate with friends and family in Japan:

• NTT DoCoMo, the largest mobile phone operator in Japan has provided this site, where you can enter the cell phone number of a person whose safety you are concerned about.
• U.S. Department of State's Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Web page for advice on how to request information about specific US Citizens in the quake or tsunami zones
• Person Finder: 2011 Japan Earthquake
• American Red Cross "Safe and Well" tool where survivors can register their whereabouts