Sendai was hit very hard - hopefully, all will be ok with Hide's family (in terms of trying to get back to everyday life will be hard for the next few months). I know, we were in the Northridge earthquake (lives in Tarzana, but worked one mile from the epicenter), and it took us a while to get back to normal. The tsunami that hit the city was devastating.
Living in Los Angeles, in Woodland Hills now, you always need to be prepared. Time to check all the flashlights, make sure you have extra water and food, and much more.