At 11:46 p.m. (central time zone) on March 10, a devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake occurred off the northeast coast of Honshu, Japan. The resulting tsunami was about seven feet high and crashed into the east coast of the country, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) website.
According to the Huffington Post, the reported death toll surpassed 10,000 on Friday, March 25, and is expected to continue rising due to a National Police Agency report of more than 17,400 missing people.
Melissa Morinishi, sophomore, had an aunt in Japan at the time of the quake, and said she was in shock when she heard of the earthquake.
“My mom tried really hard to get a hold of our family,” Morinishi said. “It was really difficult, but we were able to get a hold of her after a few days. She had to be evacuated inward, but fortunately her house wasn’t damaged.”
Joseph Wier, science teacher, taught about the disaster when it occurred because it directly relatedto his Environmental Science class’s current curriculum. Wier said he is not concerned about possible radiation here in the United States.
“It is always a scary situation, but it has a lot to interact with before it reaches us,” Wier said. “Right now there is no cause for concern [in the U.S.]. But that easily could change if you can’t keep it contained.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, air monitors have detected low levels of radioactive material in the United States, similar to what escapes a failed nuclear reactor.
On Monday, April 4, the EPA released its most recent RadNet results, which included tests on drinking water. Trace amounts, about 0.2 picocuries per liter, of Iodine-131 were found in the water in Idaho and Washington state. The EPA said that according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the U.S. should not be expected to see harmful levels of radiation.
Angela Karas, sophomore, said she has seen reports of radiation, but said it is nothing to be concerned about.
“I saw in the news that miniscule amounts have been brought over, but nothing to harm us,” Karas said. “I am just more concerned for them than for us.”
More than 100 aftershocks have occurred since the earthquake in March, and according to the USGS, more aftershocks are expected for an undetermined time period, with the frequency decreasing as time goes on. The USGS website posted that the Japanese earthquake has not significantly raised the potential of other major earthquakes, nor has it decreased the likelihood of another earthquake near Honshu, Japan.