REPORT: 88,000 People Are Missing In Japan

businessinsider.com ^ | Mar. 11, 2011, 10:06 AM | Joe Weisenthal

[BenLurkin]

According to the Kyodo News Agency, via BBC, the official missing persons tally is around 88,000.

It's well known that a lot of people are simply stranded in the cities, including Tokyo, and in many cases the people are probaby safe. It's not clear how they're included in the number.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-missing-people-2011-3#ixzz1GKAARmB5

[dirtboy]

but one he had up this morning - of a wave going over houses, and couldn’t imagine then how anyone could survive something like that,

They had some warning. And they live in a region that is used to dealing with tsunamis, so I imagine most people got to higher ground.

[DCBryan1]

They had some warning. And they live in a region that is used to dealing with tsunamis, so I imagine most people got to higher ground.

Luckily they had aerial notice and it was daylight....alarms were sent QUICK!

Unfortunately, the tsunami was upon them in 9 minutes. I'm not sure I could get my Bug Out Bag, Family, pets, and car out of the wide swath of danger in 9 minutes, even if the car was running when the shaking started. .....prayers for Japan.

[txhurl]

Nearly all the footage I’ve seen shows barely any people driving around or walking around in the tsunami.... maybe they WERE all at work in Tokyo knock on wood.

[SunkenCiv]

The update is, the 88K figure is probably greatly exaggerated, thank God. The number of missing includes people stranded elsewhere due to the breakdown of public transporation and closure by authorities of various areas. Thanks BenLurkin.

[US_MilitaryRules]

I would say at least this many will be dead. Whole towns were being mowed over in some videos

[dervish]

May a merciful God help Japan.

[HereInTheHeartland]

An 8.9 quake in a populated area could certainly do this.

[windsorknot]

May a merciful God help Japan.

Amen

[EnquiringMind]

An 8.9 quake in a populated area could certainly do this.

I agree. I thought I heard that the hardest hit area had one million+ population. This figure doesn't seem unrealistic to me.

[Stonewall Jackson]

Just the city of Sendai has a population of over one million. The entire Miyagi Prefecture has a population of over two point three million.

That being said, remember that these are just estimates. The final numbers could be higher or lower, we'll just have to wait and see.

[Tolkien]

My heart goes out to the Japanese people.

My prayers are with them.