While visiting the mall over the weekend with my girlfriend, another large aftershock visited the popular shopping megaplex. ​I watched a mother grab hold of her infant and clutched him closely to her chest as the overhead lights shook. This reminded me that while things are slowing returning to normal… Many are still fearful and uncertain about the months ahead. I can only imagine how everyone else must feel. I recall many of the “quake-veterns” whom surfed many of the waves of Japan’s past earthquakes say how this was “different.” Many of them talk about how rare it was to feel so many strong “afterquakes.” Even weeks after the main event, we continue to feel them. Albeit, a bit weaker but no less scary when considering recent events.

The waves that hit Iwate were reported to be 37.9 meters (124.3 feet) in height! The tsunami that hit Fukushima is said to be in excess of 10m (32.8 feet). The Fukushima wave was as tall as a 4-story building… I can not imagine a 12-story building (about 120 feet in height) of water coming at me in excess of 50 miles per hour! Short of building the nuclear power plants either on top of mountains or below ground level, there’s virtually no wall that can stop a massive wave like that from pounding the walls of a power plant (much less any city buildings).