Mumsnetters in Japan - are you all ok?

[thumbwitch]

Just checking up on you all really - after the latest earthquake and everything - are you all ok, and is life starting to get back to slightly more normal yet?

Sending you all lots of love and hoping you and yours are all safe and well. :)

aw, thanks thumbwitch

I am fine - we had a big aftershock last Thursday, but the quakes seem to be subsiding now...

The nuclear plant is no worse, no better, really - not sure how that is going to end up. Radiation is at slightly elevated or normal levels in Tokyo and where I live (just south of the capital)

The recovery in Tohoku is going to be very slow, and the fishing/farming up there may never recover

This is an amazing photo blog of the situation. Its a bit long but worth reading. I know the two Aussies who created this

However there are heartwarming stories from the area

The new school year started at the beginning of April, so my two DCs went up a grade at their respective primary and junior high schools.

We are in full cherry-blossom season at the moment, so all the pink and white blossoms are in full bloom for a few days

oh I love the cherry blossom - one of our "things to do" is visit Japan in cherry blossom season!

I will have a read of the blog a bit later on - glad you're ok anyway! :)

anyone else going to check in? sakura, PennyB, PlasticF? hope you are all OK..

oops, looks like I spoke too soon about things settling down - another big quake north of Tokyo just now (17:26 local time). Magnitude 7.1. Warning of a tsunami (only about a meter, though).

We felt it south of Tokyo - a 4 on the Japanese scale (it was a 6 up near the epicentre)..

these aftershocks can go on for months...sigh...

Oh dear - hope everyone really is all right! [nervous emoticon]

Hi all.
Sorry for late response and not checking in for a while.
The run of big aftershocks seems to have settled and weve actually gone a day (or two?) without one now...(frantically touches wood!). Saturdays was pretty scarey - for the first time, I experienced one when out in the park - the chains of the swings that my dc were on were eerily clanking and I was swaying (while energetically trying to push dcs and avoid them noticing/getting too panicked....!
Stay safe, fellow Japan-dwellers.

Hello,
We are back in Kanto and moving house next week! Many foreigners have left and people with houses by the sea are very nervous. The mood seems to be subdued and apprehensive.
A friend has a geiger counter and has been checking loads of things, it's really interesting seeing the high and low results. I want one!
Hope you are all doing well.

Forgot to check this thread...

glad to hear you are both OK.

the aftershocks are nearly everyday, aren't they?

PlasticF, hope the move goes OK - are you heading inland then??

we live in a flat (3rd floor) 5 mins. from the beach, so presuming the building doesn't fall down when the Big One comes, we will leg it to the roof to escape the tsunami...happy dinner-table talk at our house these days

We are actually moving a tiny bit closer to the beach! Still a few Km away though so hopefully safe. we checked the local flood maps before we bought the land and we are near the school and hills if need be.

Fujisawa and now Chigasaki have asked all the private owners of large apartment near the beach to unlock their doors in the event of a large earthquake/tsunami so people can escape up. Is that the same where you are?

I keep reading articles about the radiation risk, medical ones seem to say it is bad, scientist ones say there is no risk. I am very confused. We are using bottled water and checking where food comes from and drying laundry in the house. The kids even take obento to school rather than eat school lunch.

We don't talk too much about it with the kids as it relly scares my oldest daughter.