For Momoko Haruno, the longest hour of her life happened in the aftermath of the killer earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
The interpreter for the deaf and blind had come to Queens from Tokyo last October for one year, leaving behind her mother, who is 84 and lives alone, as well as a sister and her family.
“I was very worried when this earthquake happened,” said Haruno, who told The Courier that the 8.9 quake off the coast of Honshu occurred at midnight New York time. “When I got up and listened to the radio, I grabbed my cell phone and called my mother. When I couldn’t get through, I got very nervous.”
After an hour, Haruno finally got in touch with her sister, who lives nearby.
“That hour was very long for me,” she said.
Haruno’s family was lucky.
The epicenter of the quake occurred 231 miles northeast of Tokyo on March 11. The ensuing tsunami, with waves of up to 33 feet, left 10,000 plus dead, with the toll still climbing.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, which set up an emergency coordination center in its global headquarters, is reporting over 30,000 in Fukushima are now living in shelters.
“I am heartbroken by the images of devastation from Japan’s deadly earthquake. I will keep all the families who have lost loved ones and friends in my thoughts and prayers for as long as it takes them to rebuild and recover from their loss,” said Assemblymember Grace Meng.
With a breakdown of the broadcasting system in Japan, those with loved ones still in the country are relying on the Internet, which offers 24-hour live video news streams, updating them on the latest threat – nuclear meltdown.
The reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant were damaged by explosions and fires and were left leaking radiation. On Tuesday, March 15, 140,000 people in the vicinity were ordered to stay inside and seal their homes.
Reports say that plant officials may use U.S. and Japanese helicopters to spray water on the reactors to keep them from overheating.
“May people are worried,” said Haruno, who said that the rest of the country is feeling the effects as well, though in other ways.
“Since we depend on nuclear power, in Tokyo they are having planned blackouts,” she noted. “My friends tell me by email that no one can tell if they will have electricity or food.”
“There is so much heart-breaking news,” she continued. “Still, I believe the Japanese are very strong and will overcome.”
