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17 dead, 51 missing as typhoon sideswipes Tokyo

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And another on the way.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Wow, this is worse than I imagined. Hang in there everybody!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I realy hope they pull it through))

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan is going through a strange weather cycle this year. It's very abnormal to have a Typhoon churn in the Westpac and have snowfall in Hokkaido at the same time.

Thoughts and prayers...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Has anyone here bothered to read the article? This is not about anyone's rough commute or how stupid Japanese people are to go to work when weather is bad. There are 17 people dead and 51 unaccounted for on Izu Oshima. It doesn't sound like they were doing anything stupid, just in their homes trying to stay safe, or perhaps trying to make their way to an emergency shelter. Maybe you could spare a thought for them and their families rather than yourselves.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I really hope Fukushima is going alright, May God be with the people of Fukushima

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Predictably the Joban Chiyoda line was down so I h ad a sleepin and went in at midday when the trains were less packed form when they started at 11:00.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

+1 Darknuts and Skeeter27. My sentiments exactly.

Up here in Fukushima city, the heavy rain stopped early morning, and winds were not majorly strong at all. Rainy season this year was more of a problem, to be honest. Nevertheless, I had cancelled all my work and spent the day listening to some nice tunes!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It's just sad home many people seem to think work is more important than safety. The company is not gonna sink into to ground because they gave a day off. That's why I'm glad I don't work for a Japanese company and I never will.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

This is always the risk in Japan - as I recall, the deaths from the Niigata quake from 2004 came from mudslides and landslides as well, with structures away from hillsides suffering relatively limited damage. It's very difficult to mitigate those risks entirely, since hills are always in a state of geologic evolution.

The most critical areas along certain roads have very expensive netting or deep-driven piling systems in place, but that's impractical for all but a handful of sites.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What is more important your safety of a few yen? In my case I had my wife take the day off. Her normal train ride to work is 2 hours and 35 minutes. So, a taxi is NOT an option. And her safety is by far more important! The entire family stayed home today. Well at 12:30 I went to work but just had wind to deal with at that time.

My point is you control your life. Even in Japan you can control your life and well being.

All that said I do hope all of you were safe today. Here in Gunma it was wet and very windy but not all that bad.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Well said CH3CHO! A lot of people here seem to think they have a 'right' to a job. Got to make the effort!

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

DisillusionedOct. 16, 2013 - 01:22PM JST

You should have anticipated in light of the heavy news coverage of the typhoon since Monday. I left home earlier than usual and got to my office in time. You would not say you just left home with no means to deal with the effects of the typhoon. A boy scout would know what to do.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Unbelievable,japan really has a climate like Mars.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Days like today are one of the reasons I found a way NOT to have an office in the big smoke, I feel sorry for the multitudes who felt they have to suit up & women sport heels for the trip into cities, theatre of the blood absurd

5 ( +5 / -0 )

stoic office workers clutching umbrellas

Not stoic, following orders. Nothing stoic about that. I can't be the only one who enjoys watching people try and use their umbrellas in a typhoon, no? Why even bother? Rain gear or give up. Bodies of dead umbrellas everywhere...

5 ( +8 / -3 )

@ Disillusioned: should have taken the day off and file your Leave-with-pay form tomorrow.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

What were those two kids doing on the beach?? Anyway, big storm. RIP to those lost, and I hope the tally doesn't increase.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Update: I got the 'you must work' email from the company. Spent 45 minutes waiting at the train station, have been on the train for 25 minutes and am at the third station. The train is traveling at 5kph and waiting 5-10 minutes at each station. Oh, and did I mention the train is packed to the rafters cos it is there is only one train running every hour? Fan bloody tastic!!!

15 ( +19 / -4 )

QUOTE; "nandakandamandaOCT. 16, 2013 - 12:25PM JST Quote "Operators of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant north of Tokyo pumped rainwater out of protective containers at the base of some 1,000 tanks storing radioactive water" Now I am exercising my imagination, but what exactly are they describing here?" IN RESPONSE.... I understand your imagination (they have been somewhat guilty of averting the truth): but what it means is that a low wall has been built around the tanks, so that if three or four of them fail (due to cracking after another earthquake [or similar] or rain?, then they can stop it leaking away polluting the ground and sea with DNA-altering Radiation that lasts for up to thousands of years.

They didnt like my idea about a major design evolution of geo-thermal which I tried to promote before the quake, and they didnt like my idea of building large underground concrete lead-lined swimming pools for the waste/polluted water. they also ignored my idea for sealing off the porus seal wall of rocks with concrete to limit and/or prevent the flow of radioactive water into the open sea and fishing grounds. they also ignored my idea to build large interlocking special concrete blocks (I [conceptually] designed) to built a large 10m thick sarchopagus wall around the plant (with access areas) with a re-inforced concrete roof; all of which which would help reduce emissions in the event of another catastrophic beeakdown. I have other design ideas which they also ignore (ones to stop concrete cracking open).

I guess the Japanese Nuke industry prefer ideas from local people who were buying hotels and eating sushi off scantily-clad young ladies laid on tables rather than those of us who preferred the money to be spent on improved back-up safety systems prior to this PREDICTED quake.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Quote "Operators of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant north of Tokyo pumped rainwater out of protective containers at the base of some 1,000 tanks storing radioactive water"

Now I am exercising my imagination, but what exactly are they describing here?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Rush hour this morning in Tokyo was at 10 am, not 8 am. Obviously most people waited until the worst of the storm had passed.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

haha. you guys make make me laugh. What was wrong with ordering a cab on Monday FOR this morning so you could get to work. It had passed by 7, and if it hadn't you could have just cancelled the cab. Any excuse not to get your shoes wet!

-21 ( +4 / -25 )

@Sensato, because, as I and undoubtably you, have been told so many times, 'This is Japan', to which a knowing smile and a walk off is all we need to do. Glad I din't get on my usual train and phoned in, the line I use stopped and stopped and stopped. Die, stress or get soaking wet for the sake of a 'clock in'?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Yeah, gotta agree with the comments about the companies. It's just bloody ridiculous that they expect people to show up for work in the middle of a typhoon. The company I work for is the same. The managers are eagerly watching the web for certain train lines to start up again and will be emailing staff to get on the train and come to work. I think I might have post-typhoon-trauma-syndrome and will need to take the rest of the day off.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Indeed I pity those whose companies have ZERO COMMON SENSE, heres to hoping most of you woke up at home & stay there till its safe to travel

I know wishful thinking

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Other trains operated at only partial capacity, filled with stoic office workers clutching umbrellas.

Responsible companies (and all schools, I think) postponed the start of the workday out of concern for employee safety. Irresponsible companies did not.

Time and again I have seen preventable situations in Tokyo where a predictable typhoon or snowstorm has left hoards of people stuck in the metropolis without a means home or a place to stay. Why don't they ever learn.

14 ( +18 / -4 )

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