Rescue provides rare light amid deepening darkness

[suffragette]

Japan earthquake: Rescue provides rare light amid deepening darkness
Elderly pair winched to safety from wrecked home in Kesennuma, where they had been trapped since Friday's tsunami

Jonathan Watts in Kesennuma city
guardian.co.uk, Monday 14 March 2011 15.55 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/14/japan-earthquake-rescue-tsunami-kesennuma?CMP=twt_gu

In Kesennuma port, Fumiko Saito and her sick husband had been trapped at home since Friday.

Teams of search dogs and rescuers had been unable to reach the area because the debris is piled so high in the streets. But rescue workers finally worked their way near enough to hear Saito's cries for help, and then spent hours trying to arrange a helicopter rescue for the couple, who are both in their eighties.

It was slow going: Mr Saito was unable to move, and at one point a fresh tsunami warning forced rescuers to delay their mission. When the Saitos were finally winched to safety, Japanese camera crews ran live reports from a nearby hillside.

First Lieutenant Kaneyama Hiroyasu, of the Yamagata 6th Division of the Self Defence Forces, told the Guardian: "It's great that we got them out. It was tough. The husband had a bad heart so we could not move him easily. It took a long time."




There is quite a lot of information in this article about the situation for people in Kesennuma, which is 60 miles from Fukushima.
Well worth reading in full.

The author is the Guardian's Asia environment correspondent.

[Kadie]

1. K&R

[suffragette]

6. Thanks Kadie

[malaise]

2. Another totally fabulous rescue

The four-month-old girl had been swept from her parents’ arms in the shattered village of Ishinomaki when the deadly wave crashed into the family home.

For three days, the child’s frantic family had believed she was lost to them for ever.

But yesterday, for a brief moment, the horrors of the disaster were brightened by one helpless baby’s story of survival.

Soldiers from the Japanese Defence Force had been going from door to door pulling bodies from the devastated homes in Ishinomaki, a coastal town northeast of Sendai.

Most of the victims were elderly, unable to escape the destructive black tide.

But for this precious moment, at least, it was only the child who mattered to the team of civil defence troops who found her.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366155/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-4-month-old-baby-girl-father-reunited-Ishinomaki.html#ixzz1GcsOvp8t




The tiniest survivor was cold and wet and crying, but she is believed to have suffered no other injuries. Why she did not drown remained a mystery.

But the soldiers were somehow able to trace her overjoyed father, who had been taking refuge in his wrecked home with the rest of his family.

[suffragette]

3. That amazing and wonderful

:hug:

[flamingdem]

5. Awww. That last photo is so beautiful, thanks nt

[Tsiyu]

4. Happy ending for the old couple; they must have been terrified

There are so many stories of hope and saved lives. Those stories are comforting in the midst of so much tragedy.

Thanks for posting this.

[suffragette]

7. The article gives a full picture of events there,

both the devastating and the few hopeful outcomes.

One of the best articles I've seen for a full picture.

:hi:

[Tsiyu]

8. I will check it out

I try to stay informed. It's hard to wrap your mind around this one, huh?

I have the BBC continuous on, but I am an ADD web surfer. I'm doing other stuff in between ...like staring absently off into space...lol


:hi: My daughter is home tonight from college for spring break so i should be cleaning...:blush:

[suffragette]

9. It is hard to comprehend the immensity of this

And like you, I meant to do so many other things today.

But, as you can see from my journal, I have been on many sites instead.

Glad to hear your daughter will be visiting - sounds like fun.

[Tsiyu]

10. She is bringing two of her "sisters' and my adopted grandbaby

And I am helping throw a baby shower this weekend for a friend . I believe I will be comforted by all of them being close. I don't know if being a parent makes it different - I think it's just human to worry so much about the little ones caught up in this disaster.

I heard a story on NPR about Save the Children going in to provide counseling and stability for the kids in Japan. Kids want to go back to school and have routine and see their friends, but it will never be the same for many of them.

We just never know about this world so you have to grab those moments when you can.

Hope you are doing well this almost spring, too.

[suffragette]

11. I'm back to work on Tuesday

and will have much to do.
Might pop in here before work and at lunch, but otherwise will be offline.


Glad you will be surrounded by your family this week. That will be wonderful.