Saturday, March 5, 2016

JAPAN - The Earthquake 11 March 2011 - Newspapers and emphemera

This is my record of the earthquake which hit Japan on 11/03/2011.
My camera was not on hand to record the moment of the earthquake.
My constructed journal has records of time and place.
While we only had our holiday cut short others suffered loss of life,
injury, loss of loved ones, destruction of livelihoods and homes.
The effects of the resultant tsunami and the destruction of the nuclear
power plant are still being, and will be felt for many years to come.
My last journal entry prior to leaving Osaka was trivial.
The gap in our itinerary upon arriving in Tokyo became a factual reality.
The pervading feeling of numbness and inability to rationalise and to be able to
contribute left me with a sense of imposing under the circumstances.
We could empathise with those attempting to run their eateries apologising
for having only limited food on the menu. Food supplies, were disrupted. 
Most Japanese were also feeling the loss of family and friends.
The streets of Tokyo were unusually quiet.
Government Offices and Public Places were closed.
There was the pervading fear of another 'big' one which seemed to be a real concern.
©billpurvis
An excerpt the day prior to and a constructed journal of 'the day'.

Newspaper front pages from 11/03/2011 and the days following.

My last diary entry in Japan.















A previous posting to my blog was published at this link.
http://australianphotographcollector.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/japan-tour-before-after-great.html

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