Dear friends around the world,
You must have heard devastating news about the biggest earthquake that has ever hit Japan and resulting tsunami and developing situations at Fukushima power plant. Our condolences go to those who had lost lives and their families. This is the "toughest crisis since WWII" according to the Prime Minister Kan.
We at IPMU experienced a very big shake, with loose items falling on the floor, and many stranded by the shutdown of the railway systems. Our staffs helped those who stayed overnight at IPMU with food and providing ways to contact their family members. As far as we know, no IPMU on-site members were injured, and you find the list of those we could verify their safely here. Our friends in the areas around KEK or J-PARC are apparently still out of power, gas, and water. We are still concerned about our friends at Tohoku University. Many of them we know had been accounted for, while we hear about significant damages to infrastructure. It is good to know that most people affiliated with the University live close to the hills. I will give more updates as we learn more.
Phone calls into Japan may not get through, as a fraction of lines is reserved for emergency contacts, and the areas struck the hardest are out of power. In IPMU and Tokyo area, people are calm and a large fraction of public transportation had been restored. A rolling blackout started in the IPMU area to reserve power for those in the needs, but it is all scheduled and we can prepare of them. We are on business as usual this Monday.
Meanwhile, please consider helping the disaster relief effort from your own country. A few good places you can start are
- Acceptance of donations for the Tohoku Earthquake (UT)
- Japan/Earthquake Donation (Japanese Red Cross Society)
- Donate Funds (American Red Cross)
Thank you for your concerns, and we will update the page on a regular basis.
Best Regards,
Hitoshi