日本的311世紀災難已經一個禮拜了。而過去幾天來，全世界的焦點都放在核能廠的危機。這是理所當然的結果，因為如果日本真的失敗了，老實說災難不會只局限於東日本，那將是全世界的夢靨。
然而，當大家日以繼夜的專注在核能廠時，請千萬別忘了地震和海嘯後面的災民。打開Google News和英美各大報紙的首頁，除了不斷昇高的核能危機和警告，對東北災區的追蹤報導都突然勢微了。
不僅如此，雖然地震和海嘯的新聞在美國是眾所周知，但至今的捐款數額非常落後，遠遠遠少於其他自然災害的款項。一週之後，募集金額在美國是八千七百萬美金，不到當年海地大地震時的三分之一。誠然，許多人認為日本比起海地是有錢的國家，但許多人也許不了解，這一次三合一的大災難是遠超過任何21世紀以來的自然慘劇。
在受災嚴重的地區，居民們已經開始他們的清理工作，甚至沒有時間停下來為痛失的親人哭泣。一個星期後，他們所需要的食物、水、和媒油等等必需品都不足，而雪上加霜的是，反常的寒冷天氣又增加許多倖存者的痛苦。
星期五下午的兩點46分，全日本各地的人民為地震和海嘯的遇難者默哀一分鐘，目前的估計大概有25000人死亡。在夷為平地的家園中，倖存者停下所有的重建工作，與救援人員一起紀念不幸的犧牲者。
過去的一個禮拜以來，日本已經遭遇近600次的餘震，超過六級強震的將近有40次。在所有對他們不利的環境下，日本人民仍然持續讓全世界對他們的文明和紀律佩服不已。國際社會的看法是，如果一個國家能夠在最艱苦的時候，表現出如此的國民素質，加上其科技實力的水準，日本必將恢復。但在那一天到來之前，請別忘了地震和海嘯後面的面孔。
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Behind the Nuclear Disaster
The most devastated natural disaster that Japan has faced on March 11th, 2011 has just reached its one week mark on this Friday. In the past few days, media from around the world has been focused on the Fukushima nuclear power plant crisis. This development is quite realistic and rational, because if the Japanese failed, to be honest, the destruction would not just limit to the East Japan, it would be the worst nightmare for everyone on this planet.
However, when we focus on the nuclear crisis around the clock, please do not forget the victims and survivors of 311 earthquake and tsunami. When one clicks away on the Google News, or the Britain and US newspapers, other than the rising nuclear crisis and warnings that come out on an hourly fashion, reports regarding the rescue efforts in the Northeast regions are diminishing by the minutes.
Moreover, even though that earthquake and tsunami news is well known throughout the United States, the level of contributions so far are lagged way behind, far less than any donations for other natural disasters with this magnitude. A week after the quake, the amount raised in the United States was eighty-seven million dollars, less than one-third of the contribution to the earthquake in Haiti. Indeed, many people regard Japan as a rich country than Haiti, but they may not have the grasp of the situation: this triple-whammy-catastrophe was far more serious than any natural disaster in the past century.
In the hard hit areas, residents have begun their cleaning work, not even have time to stop to mourn for the lost loved ones. A week later, their need of food, water, and kerosene that are essential for their survival are inadequate, and to make matter worse, the unusual cold weather and snow have increased the suffering of many survivors.
At 2:46 Friday afternoon local time, people all over Japan reserved a minute of silence for the victims of earthquake and tsunami, which the current estimation was about 25,000 people. In the flattened and devastated homeland, the survivors stopped their reconstruction efforts, along with the rescue team to commemorate the unfortunate victims.
Within one week, Japan had suffered nearly 600 aftershocks after the initial 9.0 magnitude quake, and more than 40 of them were above magnitude 6 on the Richter scale. With all circumstances against them, the Japanese people still continue to amaze the rest of the world with their civility and discipline amid the disasters. The consensus of the international community is that, if the people possess such admirable quality in the most difficult times, combined with the technological strength of their country, Japan will rise again. But until then, please do not forget the faces behind the earthquake and tsunami.
PS. If you are willing and capable, please lend a hand in relief effort. There are several ways to donate to help and here are two of the reputable ones:
WORLD VISION to help Japan
http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section=10339&item=2200736
RED CROSS in JAPAN-Google
www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html
References:
Donations to Japan lag far behind Haiti or Katrina
http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/18/pf/japan_earthquake_aid/
Japan Quake Map (interactive map)
http://www.japanquakemap.com/
2011 Japan Disaster - One Minute of Silence (slide show)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nhl9H9wrZI&feature=player_embedded
Minute of silence in Japan (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2nGlZExEYc&feature=player_embedded
Japan Minute of silence 03-18-11 (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kw994smCDc&feature=player_embedded
Operation Tomodachi (US DOD assistance in the quake relief)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvxjZXjz648&feature=player_embedded
Source: TaiwanOnline
