The whole episode is tragic and my thoughts go out to those left behind who have lost people in the devastation and that the rescue operation can find the few that are in need of help.

Having watched SKY news almost continually from Friday to get updates on the disaster, there have been comparison images of before and after showing many villages that were swept away. Knowing that these villages were on the Pacific rim of fire, and prone to earthquakes and tsunamis from the Pacific, why were so many buildings on this coastline made of wood and not solidly built with concrete or brick. The debris consists, predominantly,of wood debris. The ones left standing appeared to be solidly built.

As to the nuclear plants on the east coast, why were they built on this side of Japan. Surely building them on the west coast could have given them some protection from both Pacific earthquakes and resulting tsunamis. Hindsight is a great thing, but people with higher qualifications than me have made these decisions since Japan recovered from WW2.

As to the tsunami warnings, I thought procedures were being put in place after the Boxing Day tsunami to increase the level of warning should a Pacific earthquake occur.