Bad memories evoked yesterday

This is one place the tsunami invaded
last year. The wave was as high as the mark
on the brown pole. But it was higher (30m)
in other areas.

We had an earthquake yesterday, actually we had at least two. One woke David and I briefly at 5.30am. The one 12 hours later was far more noticeable.

It's the first one in over a year that's had me wondering whether to hop under a table or leave the building. It started quietly too, just the infamous March 11 one. I heard it first, in the subtle creaking of our wooden-framed house. It started quietly and got stronger and stronger till the contents of the house were rattling and the floor shook under our feet. But not so strong that anything here fell down, and we were able to easily keep our footing.

There was only a 1m tsunami wave, but people were scared and many did evacuate the coastal areas: the same coastal areas that are still struggling to figure out how to rebuild from last year's disaster.

It brings back bad memories for us (and left us feeling shaky), who weren't in the disaster zone and didn't lose anyone we knew. How must it have been for those who did?

Here is a glimpse of some of the changes made to the warning systems and people's responses: Tsunami nation: then and now.