Japan Earthquake

          A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean nearby Northeastern Japan at 2:46pm on March 11 causing damage with blackouts, fire and tsunami. The new threat to the area is the nuclear leak that is causing radiation among the residents. More than 10,000 people have been reported missing and the number is rising. 


         What is even more alarming and scary to learn is that this massive earthquake shifted the balance of the planet. According to an article I read online "Japan has actually moved the island closer to the United States and shifted the planet's axis. The 9.0 magnitude quake (the fourth-largest recorded since 1900) was caused when the Pacific tectonic plate dove under the North American plate, which shifted Eastern Japan towards North America by about 13 feet. The quake also shifted the earth's axis by 6.5 inches, shortened the day by 1.6 microseconds, and sank Japan downward by about two feet. As Japan's eastern coastline sunk, the tsunami's waves rolled in.
After seeing the pictures and videos online one can only think about how this sudden devastation can change your entire life and certainly puts things in perspective. It makes you feel grateful for what you have. My heart goes out to those affected.