It was with shock and sorrow Friday that we watched the devastation unfolding in Japan, which was roiled by a massive earthquake and tsunami.
Our thoughts are with the Japanese people as they deal with damage caused by the 8.9 magnitude quake and a resulting wall of water that caused an untold number of deaths. And we’re confident generous Americans will once again dig deep to help where we can.
As the day wore on, it became increasingly clear that failed cooling systems at a nuclear power facility posed a serious safety threat that engineers were working furiously to contain.
Earthquakes are a part of life in Japan and, for that matter, the entire Pacific Rim. But witnesses said they instantly knew this one was stronger and more dangerous than the typical tremor.
Video footage shows dozens of cars sucked into raging rivers, errant fires, a giant whirlpool, and buildings subsumed by a debris-loaded tidal wave.
It was heart-wrenching to watch cars making a futile effort to outrun the water, and to realize many people in coastal areas had little chance to escape.
As the scope of damage becomes more clear, the ways in which Americans can extend a helping hand will become more apparent as well.
