Wish I'd paid more attention in physics...

I literally do not understand ANYTHING about earthquakes or nuclear things...forget about Japanese, it might as well be written in Double Dutch for all I can understand. I have decided to stay in Japan for the time being, but I might head south to a safer part, just in case. My friend was supposed to visiting me this week, so I have holiday booked from work anyway. The official advise from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office states that people in my area should "consider leaving" the area, but more due to concerns over food and power shortages, than due to actual health risks. I have rung them to confirm that I am understanding correctly, so please try to ignore the selective attitude that "news" reporters, such as the BBC, CNN, The Telegraph, and The Guardian seem to have to the facts. The most reliable news I have been reading seems to be from The Independant so far, who give a far more balanced view and qualify the things they are reporting with facts and comparisons. I have just had my first power cut. Three hours in the dark, but the water DID work and it's not so difficult when you have prepared for it. Had a glass of imo shochuu (芋焼酎), a Japanese alcohol made of sweet potatoes, which sent me nicely off to sleep. I may have pranced around in the dark with my torch to Live And Let Die by The Wings first, it's a great song to prance with a torch to. I was woken up by everything switching back on, and a perfectly timed afterschock. What a jolt back into action. I can't understand how the official things tell me that some quakes of magnitude 6.0+ I can't feel, but can feel some of around 5 even though they are in the same area, and the readings say that they are all registrering 3 on the Japanese shakey scale near me. Still, I know I felt that one really strongly, but, on the upside, it's only the second one I've felt all day. Still very worried about the people up in the north...there are all sorts of clips of people without heating, just under blankets in school gyms etc. It's snowing quite heavily up there by the looks of it. I'm lucky that it's not snowing here. Also, everyone at work is being very kind, although I don't want to think of the panic and fuss that might break out if I decided to go home...a couple of English teachers in the next city have decided to leave and the fuss has spread to my town on that one. The FCO still says that we are safe, so I am following that. My Board of Education have lent me a battery-powered radio and lamp for the blackouts. Sorry that this post has been a bit of a ramble, probably a sign of the state my head is in at the moment. I feel a bit calmer that the TV is back on, and I have my lovely reliable news lady back. She wouldn't let me come to any harm. Current biggest health concern : potential overdose on chocolate.