Typhoons, Floods, Earthquakes and Tornadoes: Not a Great Day for Japan
Added 2019-10-12 18:03:39 +0000 UTCSo today has felt like quite a long day.
First off, thanks to everyone who reached out to myself and the team asking if we're all ok. Natsuki, Ryotaro and I are all doing well and have been relatively unaffected by the events of today. And by events, I mean the smorgasbord of natural disasters that Japan has endured in the last 24 hours.
At about 3pm this afternoon Typhoon Hagibis tore through the Kanto area (greater Tokyo) and caused a great deal of rainfall and flooding. By 9pm, winds made venturing outside a frightening prospect due to debris being flung around at high speeds.
Right now as I type this, it sounds like the window beside me is putting up a good fight against the air pounding into it. It all feels like the start of a bloody Roland Emmerich movie.
Spare a thought for the folks across the country who've had their homes flooded beyond repair by the 100 or so rivers that couldn't contain the rain water, the 340,000 people who had to evacuate the coastal city of Iwaki - the very city which I filmed in for the Fukushima documentary just a few weeks ago - and the man who lost his life when a tornado flipped his in a field this morning. I suspect by tomorrow morning there'll be more casualties along the way, especially given there are currently several dams that are under threat from bursting.
Finally, just as things couldn't have got worse for the people of the Tokyo area, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake shook the region as well in the early evening.
When you experience all this nightmarish chaos in one day, all at once, in the same country, you can see why Japanese people tend to be so resilient and stoic. Without that mindset, regular natural disasters such as these would be unbearable. Let alone 3 in one day.
Part of me wanted to run out and film it this evening - after all, I am the muppet who filmed a North Korean missile warning instead of seeking immediate shelter - but the winds were so strong even I felt uncomfortable at the prospect of a lone roof tile flinging off and finding its way into my face.
I'll walk through Fukushima's exclusion zone, climb a cliff face with Ryotaro, or ski-jump into a swimming pool at a moments notice, but screw going out into a blizzard of rain and wind on a pitch black night, with houses made of paper and bricks.
If you're currently in Japan this site is offering regular updates:
For now though, I certainly hope you guys are having a better weekend than we are here!
I'm off to see if I can sleep, despite it sounding like the end of the world outside.
(And to dream about a world in which Youtube promoted my Fukushima documentary instead of suppressing it due to its controversial nature).
Comments
I was in Tokyo during the storm back in October on holiday. In a hotel room in Shinjuku it wasn't too bad (aside from being on the 24th storey of the hotel) but I was thinking of you Natsuki and Ryotoro so was glad to hear you were all safe
2020-01-25 01:32:27 +0000 UTCHappy to hear everyone is safe and sound.
2019-10-14 22:48:45 +0000 UTCGlad you're all ok! And to think had my plans not changed I would have been in Tokyo at this time!
Adam Penner
2019-10-13 16:29:34 +0000 UTCThanks for keeping us up to date Chris. Glad that none of you had to suffer any problems.
2019-10-13 09:52:49 +0000 UTCGlad you and the crew are okay. Hope this is still the case. Stay save!
2019-10-13 08:28:06 +0000 UTCRode it out in Shinjuku on the 26th floor of our hotel. The building swayed on and off in the evening, but thankfully that's the worst of it. Glad you guys are all ok! ❤️
2019-10-13 01:26:18 +0000 UTCReally glad to know that all of you are alright and thank you for letting us know. Your insight that the frequent natural disasters shaping the Japanese mindset is really interesting and I’d never thought of that before. Thoughts are with everyone in Japan right now.
Stephanie
2019-10-12 23:28:55 +0000 UTCWhen I heard it on the news here in the Netherlands my mind immediately wandered to you guys. Thanks for the update. Really interesting to hear your experience. Ofcourse my thoughts go out to the people of Japan effected by this once again horrible weather..
2019-10-12 22:53:09 +0000 UTCGlad you're all doing well. It's a grim turn of events for Japan. I hope there are as few casualties as humanely possible....
2019-10-12 22:37:49 +0000 UTCI haven't had the news on for a day and it all falls apart :| And we were just in Japan two weeks ago...so it seems we left right in time. For those still there, please stay safe.
Buzzin
2019-10-12 20:45:56 +0000 UTCI love reading these long post's of yours Chris. Even though you are painting the event of a terrible disaster, reading about it, with your voice in my head helps to calm me.
Jacob Peter Bankel
2019-10-12 20:33:21 +0000 UTCSuch terrible news. I'm glad at least you are all okay. I hope nothing else happens in the meantime and my best wishes and condolences to those that were affected. Terrible disaster.
Dusty B
2019-10-12 19:59:03 +0000 UTCWe were so worried about you! We were keeping an eye on your twitter just to see if everything was ok. We are glad that you are safe and please be careful. Take care, persevere and lets pray together for Japan. Keep strong Chris!
2019-10-12 19:40:18 +0000 UTCwow, glad you guys are safe. but be careful, typhoons are no joke. but a triple whammy sounds insane, hope it doesnt get any worse.
Stefan
2019-10-12 18:53:56 +0000 UTCGlad you're all safe! Hope you can sleep with the battle going on outside your window. Considering the weight of those roof tiles I think you're very wise to stay out of the wind!
Dr Dia
2019-10-12 18:53:00 +0000 UTCGlad to know you and many others are safe. Just seeing the weather report on this typhoon is enough to really make you queasy. Take care and persevere!
2019-10-12 18:44:24 +0000 UTCGlad to know you're Okay Chris! Stay safe my friend! Much love to You and the rest of the bunch!
2019-10-12 18:33:16 +0000 UTCGlad to hear you guys are okay. What an awful turn of events. I'll be keeping everyone in my thoughts as I keep track of what's happening there. Do you know if there is anything we can do to help?
Argus9 (Jonathan)
2019-10-12 18:22:10 +0000 UTCI’ll certainly be going out walking tomorrow in the fresh air to make up for the lack of 10,000 steps today (and to also survey the affects of the typhoon).
Abroad in Japan
2019-10-12 18:19:56 +0000 UTCVery grateful that all of you are safe, Chris! Such a terrible day for Japan... sending lots of love!
2019-10-12 18:19:03 +0000 UTCGlad to hear you’re safe and that the situation in Tokyo has improved. Hopefully it’ll be over up here as well soon!
Abroad in Japan
2019-10-12 18:18:56 +0000 UTCI've been watching the live news for hours today and cried several times.. I'm happy to know that you guys are safe at least. As far as I understand it there was also a volcanic eruption somewhere in Japan today too.. it's complete madness! Stay safe and I will keep the japanese people in my thoughts.. 😥
Jette Nielsen
2019-10-12 18:17:49 +0000 UTCGlad to hear you all are fine. Prayers for the whole country and hope it ends soon.
Cesar S.
2019-10-12 18:17:23 +0000 UTCGlad to hear you, Natsuki and Ryotaro are all doing fine. My thoughts go out to everyone in Japan today.
2019-10-12 18:16:14 +0000 UTCI hear the weather is usually really nice after a typhon, with very fresh air, so you've got that going for you, I guess.
2019-10-12 18:14:29 +0000 UTCKeeping Japan in my thoughts, and glad to hear that you, Natsuki and Ryotaro are all okay.
Rainstorm Travel
2019-10-12 18:12:53 +0000 UTCBe safe Chris and i hope everyone in japan will be!! O
2019-10-12 18:08:58 +0000 UTCIt has definitely been a hell of a day. I’m currently in Tokyo and it’s mostly passed now thankfully. Still a bit wet and windy but much less so. I’m glad to hear you’re doing well. I was thinking about you earlier when I was keeping tabs on the typhoon movement.
2019-10-12 18:07:56 +0000 UTCThanks for the updates, Chris. Glad to know the gangs all good but damn this is saddening.
brian yocubik
2019-10-12 18:06:38 +0000 UTC
