Japan Marks One Year Since Earthquake/Tsunami

Sunday, March 11, 2012 marked the one year anniversary of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Tokyo, Japan that left 16,000 dead and 3,000 missing.

On 2:46pm, local time, residents of Japan congregated at a shrine in a downtown theater to bow their heads in silence, many praying with tears streaming down their faces.

At the main event, the Prime Minister made his remarks infront of grieving patriots with the emperor in attendance, recovering from surgery:

"A lot of lives were lost ... I feel the grieving families' pain and I cannot express my sorrow enough."

Those loved and lost were honored, many said to be firefighters.

"On the surface, it is business as usual," said Nicky Washida, a British expatriate who's lived in Japan for 10 years. "We wake up, we go to work, we shop for dinner. We drink, we laugh, we care for our children. But running underneath the veneer of normality is the constant reminder that life has changed."

The event also marked the world's worst nuclear crisis in a quarter century, as a nuclear facitility was knocked offline, leading toward a meltdown chain of three reactors leaking chemical fumes into the air and contaminating water in the ocean.

Even one year later, Japan is far from the clear, with 100,000 individuals still displaced from their homes. But, they remain optimistic that they will overcome.

To read CNN's article on Japan's earthquake, visit this link.

To learn more about the 21st century's worst disasters, read Tectonic Shifts: Haiti Since the Earthquake and Dual Disasters: Humanitarian Aid After the 2004 Tsunami.

Turkey Devastated by a 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake

Rescuers continue digging with heavy machinery, as well as their bare hands, in the villages of Van and Ercis Monday morning as Turkey gets hit by a massive earthquake that has left more than 270 individuals dead and 40,000 homeless.

The 7.2 magnitude quake, which struck on Sunday morning, had the most severe effect in Ercis, a town of around 75,000 people.

"It is a very urgent situation," Hakki Erskoy, a disaster manager for the Turkish Red Crescent, told the Guardian. He said his organisation was dealing with 40,000 homeless people, adding: "Right now, we are facing a race against time to provide shelter for people."

Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan - who toured the devastated region by helicopter - told reporters that the buildings in the area are made of mud brick, and are therefore more prone to earthquakes.

Although 24 individuals were rescued from the rubble within the first two hours of the quake, many of still missing including many university students in Ercis.

"University students are said to be living here," Mustafa Bilgin, a mine rescue expert, said. "We don't know how many of them are still inside – we've reached their computers, clothing but we did not see anyone."

A number of countries have offered assistance with both relief aid and search and rescue efforts. This immediate reaction is appreciated by the people of Turkey, and shows how government assistance can change when a natural disaster occurs. This response can be viewed in Jennifer Hyndman's new book Dual Disasters when she describes what happens when “man-made” and “natural” disasters meet.

As of yet, there have been no talks about civil wars breaking out since the quake, as those fight for their safety, homes, loved ones and own lives.