On the 11th March, 2011, an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 rolled under the Pacific Ocean just 70km east of Japan. The most powerful tectonic event ever to hit the area, it moved Honshu island eight feet east and shifted the Earth on its axis. The tsunami that followed caused massive loss of life and devastated the infrastructure of the entire coastline.
Repair work began immediately. The astonishing resilience of the Japanese people ensured that life on Japan's main island is returning to normal while they continue to battle the long term effects of the disaster. The Fukushima nuclear reactor crisis is ongoing. The amount of detritus that was swept out to sea that terrible day is inestimable. It is still there.
The ocean is silent - no birds, for there are no fish. Two oarfish and a rare sabre-toothed whale have recently been found dead on California beaches. No superficial losses, these; they point to the deep and terrible legacy of that day. The disaster continues.
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1848433/the-ocean-is-broken/
