Sat PM - 3/19 Iwakuni Update

News has slowed considerably today & I'm taking that as a good sign.

According to NHK World website and tonight's news, progress continues with connecting external power to all reactors' cooling units (2 have been connected at this point & all are expected to be connected on Sunday), but progress is slower than anticipated because of radiation contamination and debris everywhere. Cooling reactors with seawater has continued most of the day, with success in lowering temperatures, and radiation levels have continued to fall as cooling continues. Manual water cooling will continue until power is connected to all reactors and pumps are successfully working again to cool automatically, in order to prevent melt-down. I remain confident all these heroic efforts will be successful.

Disaster fire engine buses are being utilized which provide more personal protection to firefighters, but difficulties arise driving these large vehicles through some roads that are still partially blocked with tons of debris. Radiation levels are being constantly monitored in contaminated areas, and firefighters are being rotated in & out for their safety. Once they have received a maximum level of radiation exposure, firefighters are not sent back in, and are replaced by more firefighters. One firefighter said on TV that none of them are able to see their families who are evacuated, but they are happy to help. When he texted his wife that he was soon going to be sent into the radiation area, she texted back, "Be a savior for Japan."

Information is available in great detail and runs continuously on our NHK World TV station, which is always in English. For this we are VERY grateful!

I watched an interesting TV program earlier concerning evacuees & how important it is for neighbors to be relocated together as much as possible, so that survivors are living among friends and/or family at this stressful and difficult time. Necessary supplies - medical, food, water, clothing, heating fuel- continue to arrive, although some areas are still waiting. The weather remains extremely cold. Clean up continues everywhere, as well as people still searching for missing loved ones. All shelters have lists inside the door of those residing in the shelter, so everyone can be accounted for. Of course, the death toll continues to mount (over 7,000 confirmed by tonight with as many as 12,000 still missing), but hearing an occasional happy story really helps to boost spirits. The Japanese are "holding on, bearing up." Ganbatte. It's the Japanese way.