Its that time of year again. The TV images still fresh in my mind (2011 seems so long ago)

I think maybe after the footage of 9-11, the images of that tsunami were the most shocking I’ve ever seen on TV.
Natures power at it’s most destructive.

The US marines clearing houses in Bagdad with grenades are the most shocking images I’ve seen but I’m not sure you had those on UK tele.

Edukator thats not really relevant.

This image from 2011 speaks volumes I feel

If Chpperquad’s 9-11 post is relevant then my Bagdad post is equally relevant and adds balance to the thread.

The devastation and 19 000 lives lost in the tsunami was tragic but unavoidable. Almost exactly the same number of Iraqis died in Gulf War 2 (lowest estimates used some claim up to half a million a a consequence of the war) and that was down to a few avoidable lies told in a foreign country.

Reread his post, Its relevant…anyway back ontopic please.

A good vid: http://www.aljazeera.com/video/asia-pacific/2014/03/remembering-japan-tsunami-lost-lives-201431032646842978.html

Re-read his post, of course it is relevant after the previous post about most shocking images.

Can we keep it on topic please instead of bickering who seen the most shocking TV.

It’s going to be one of those moments you’ll remember hearing and seeing about it for the first time, yes as you say shows the true power of nature.

The first footage I saw of it was a shot from a helicopter of the wave hitting the shoreline, looked like a special effect form a movie then you realise all the cars and buildings being engulfed contained people. Astonishing and tragic.

Pigface agree.

This was an image that I couldn’t comprehend:

It was also the first time that I watched Aljazeera and their footage was respectful and with minimal voice over. I think the footage spoke volumes.

My head office and our main factorys are in Iwaki city, which although it didn’t have the worst of the damage was still hit very hard. Two colleagues lost their lives, and a few more lost family members. Every time I have been out since then a little bit more is repaired or replaced but I think some areas will just be left as is. Its also very close to Fukushima nuclear plant which still continues to be a worry (and probably will be for a few lifetimes yet). When I visit its always really hard to get hotel rooms as the place is crawling with Tepco employees. When you sit down to breakfast with them it puts your day in the office in perspective.

The images where extraordinary. You can read about these events in your geography text books but to see that destruction unfold was humbling. Some of the stories particularly around schools are heartbreaking.

It was also the first time that I watched Aljazeera and their footage was respectful and with minimal voice over. I think the footage spoke volumes.

There was a very good documentary (Channel 4, I think) with no commentary at all, just a collection of video images from CCTV, video cameras etc. Very moving. No need for voice over at all.

Interestingly it wasn’t the ‘Black Swan’ event it was made out to be.

Industry tends to work towards being an order of magnitude safer than everyday life, so an acceptable risk is preparing for a 1 in 10,000 year event (you’ve aproximately a 1 in 1000 chance of dying of an accident outside of work, meaning about 1 in 10 over a persons ~100 year lifetime).

In the last 500 years there have been twelve tsunamis in the Pacific with waves over ten meters, and six over twenty meters.

Fukishima was built to withstand only 3.1m (later increaced to 5.7m).

The boxing day tsunami of 2004 was far worse in terms of lives lost. Some estimates as high as 400,000. The dustruction in Sumatra where entire villages were lost was pretty shocking, the pictures of the aftermath will stay with me forever. After the surge receeded bodies were just strewn across beaches. Women and cildren naked. Terrible. So much detruction and hitting the poorest places the hardest. The sad thing is the relief effort was a shambles and money was thrown away and wasted on failed projects. It’s just a matter of time before it hppens again in this area.

We are so very lucky to live in a country where moderate flooding is our only real natural disaster.

I didn’t mean it wasn’t as bad, I just meant that for jaw dropping, mouth open, can’t quite believe what I’m seeing footage, it was right up there with that attack. As has been said, back on topic, what a truly awful time for the families involved.
It would be very interesting to see a follow up programme showing the rebuilding of property and lives in the past few years.