May - Wingspan

May 2, 2011wingspan.lccc.wy.educampus newsWingspan 21CourtesyLiving through disaster:The hometown of LaramieCounty CommunityCollege student JunkoHonda was hit by a8.9 earthquake andtsunami in Japan March11. Honda’s family andhouse in Miyagi are OKafter the event, but otherswere not so lucky.Students’ families safe from tragedyBy Courtney TrayOnline EditorMore than a month has passed sincean 8.9 earthquake devastated Japan,and the lasting effects of the earthquakehave lingered. People from allover the world have felt the effects fromthe earthquake, including students atLaramie County Community College.Two LCCC students, Emi Yamamotoand Junko Honda, from Japan have familythere.Yamamoto is from Kanagawa, whichis a close suburb outside of Tokyo inthe middle area of Japan. She said thestructure of her house was OK; however,the ground had shifted and split up alittle. The damaged nuclear reactor wasfar from her town, so the effects fromradiation have been few, she said.However, in the areas of the nuclearreactors, many people had to move. “Myfriend, she lives near the nuclear things,so she had to go back to home because“I want American people to pray for Japan andfundraising for victims. We’re trying to make asmile.”they were dangerous,” said Yamamoto,who came to LCCC to play women’s soccerin 2009.Kanagawa was far enough from theearthquake situated in the northern areasof Japan hit harder by both the earthquakeand the tsunami. Because of the distancefrom the events, the town suffered littledamage, and a small amount of cleanupwas needed.Another student, Honda, who alsoplayed women’s soccer for LCCC thisyear, however, is from Miyagi, which isin northern Japan. The city is near theepicenter of the 8.9 earthquake and northJunko HondaLCCC international student from Japanof Fukushima, location of the nuclear reactors.There the damage was very extensive.Honda headed back home to Japan just20 days after the earthquake.“I went to Yuriage city, that city is nearthe sea so, Yuriage got damaged by tsunami,”Honda said. “I saw a lot of brokenhouses.”“My house is OK, but my friend’s housegone by tsunami,” Honda said in an email.“A lot of people moved to another place.”Honda, who watched a lot of buildingsbreak apart from the tsunami, said hermother’s friend died.“I couldn’t believe it, and I felt so sad,”Honda said.The Japan Self-Defense Forces are nowtrying to fix everything, from the radiationto rebuilding the city.Honda said they can live safely now,but they don’t know when or if anotherbig earthquake will come again. “We’reafraid about that,” Honda said. “I can’tsleep well every night because smallearthquakes every day.”Honda is still in Japan but will be backat LCCC next semester.The economy is another area ofconcern with the aftermath. “I think thatJapan’s economy will be down, so I hopethey come back soon,” Yamamoto said.Fukushima is having trouble selling itsfood to other countries with the radiationin the area, Honda said. Most peopledon’t want to buy Fukushima’s food eventhough just a few parts of Fukushimawere affected by the nuclear problems.Honda said the problems withnuclear power haven’t been solved, butthe Japanese are beginning to revive.“I want American people to pray forJapan and fundraising for victims,” Hondasaid. “We’re trying to make smile.”