Footage: A capture of the tsunami attacking Ishinomaki city of Miyagi prefecture. Mr. Koichi Abe of Ishinomaki Gas Inc. video recorded the footage from the rooftop of his office (at the time) near Ishinomaki fishing port. Following the great earthquake, approximately 35 people including employees from Ishinomaki Gas were evacuated to this rooftop at their headquarters. The video begins with footage of the waves rushing in close to prefectural road #240 from off shore. The flow seemed quiet at first, but at this point, it carries countless numbers of floating wreckage as it approaches the building, instantly transforming into a rapid current. The water overflows at the parking lot in front of the building for a brief moment, then washes away all cars within the lot. The cars are tossed around by waves at the face of the building wall where evacuees stand, then jostle against one another like toys. In a blink of time, the waves gain height and white-capped turbid waters reach close to the rooftop. Observing the unexpected critical situation far beyond imagination, tense voices can be heard all around. The recorder of the video and those around him climb higher to the rooftop exit’s roof, eager to reach higher ground even if the difference is rather insignificant. The camera is now positioned higher, shifting inland, projecting images of Minato junior high school and Minato Secondary elementary school about 500 meters away. Minato junior high school is hazy with snowscape. A woman voices her concern for the children who attend the school, but another voice laudably tries to calm her uneasiness by answering, “That place will be okay.” The intensity of the waves fail to calm, and even in a large parking structure of the Pachinko shop (21 Seiki Ishinomaki) nearby, one can confirm the torrents pouring in. Looking around the horizon 360 degrees, all areas surrounding the building have turned into sea, isolating it within the torrent. After the tsunami pulled away, the evacuees spent the night in anxiety.
According to Ishinomaki Gas, the company later relocated their head office functions to another office as a measure of crisis management. This building, where the footage was shot was later restored and currently operates as Ishinomaki Gas Myojin office.
ALERT IN ASIA DUE TO 7.7 EARTHQUAKE: DEAD AND TRAPPED IN MYANMAR, CHINA, AND THAILAND
Editorial Staff | International Alert
An intense emergency situation is unfolding in Asia after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck during the early hours of Monday, shaking vast regions of Myanmar, southern China, and northern Thailand, leaving an initial toll of dozens dead, hundreds injured, and many people trapped under rubble.
The earthquake occurred at 3:42 a.m. (local time), with its epicenter in a mountainous area on the border between Myanmar and China’s Yunnan province, at a depth of approximately 10 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was also strongly felt in the Thai cities of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, where mass evacuations were reported.
In Thailand, although no fatalities have been reported so far, significant structural damage has occurred in ancient temples and historic buildings. Thai authorities have suspended classes in schools in Chiang Rai and have placed hospitals on alert due to the possibility of aftershocks.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a precautionary warning for nearby coastal areas, which was lifted hours later after no anomalies were detected in sea levels. However, experts do not rule out the possibility of significant aftershocks in the coming hours.
International organizations such as the UN and the International Red Cross have already begun coordinating humanitarian aid efforts to assist those affected. The global community has expressed solidarity with the impacted countries, and rescue teams, food, and medical supplies are expected to be sent.
Social media has begun filling with dramatic images showing cracked streets, collapsed buildings, injured people, and families desperately searching for loved ones among the debris. The hashtag #AsiaEarthquake has become a global trending topic
As search and rescue operations continue, authorities are urging the population to remain calm, avoid spreading false information, and follow only official updates. A new official report is expected in the coming hours, as Asia wakes up amid chaos, fear, and hope of finding survivors.