Kotik wrote:Alelou wrote:Tell us you live on high ground nowhere near a nuclear plant...
Unfortunately there are not too many places in Japan that fit both these criteria
Although one should keep in mind that if any people is prepared for quakes, it's the japanese, even if it didn't look like it in Fukushima.
Actually, there are plenty of places that fit that description. Just not that many people live there (I'd guess half the country is mountains). I think Fukushima was actually one of the closest nuclear power plants to Tokyo and it's about 230 km (140 miles) away. You have to put Fukushima in perspective as well - over 20,000 people died in the tsunami because they lived close to the ocean. No one has died from radiation from Fukushima (yet).
We're far enough inland and up high enough that I don't worry about tsunamis, at least getting slammed by them. Earthquakes, now earthquakes are a major worry. We're on the fourth floor in a six floor reinforced concrete building. The thing is built like a bunker but that just means that when it gets hit with something big enough it will break in a major way.
The biggest worry, though, is the breakdown in logistics that another major earthquake will bring. Tokyo had almost no damage in the Tohoku earthquake but the trains were out for a couple of days while they checked all the tracks and bridges. The grocery store shelves emptied out real quick and there was no gas to purchase for about a week (made me feel extremely stupid for having left the car almost empty). The phone system was a mess for a couple of days. If we actually have an earthquake that hits Tokyo and causes major damage I hate to think of what a mess it will be.
But, you know, there's always something. At least I don't worry about getting shot at in Tokyo when I flip someone off in the car.