A TSUNAMI IN THE BLOGS

The Internet has become the main source of information about the most important events all over the world. As happened with the protest in Tunisia or Egypt, the terrible earthquake in Japan, tsunamis and nuclear leaks are the major players in media and online social networks.

Google, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are the perfect tools for organizations, governments, relatives, and affected people, to find information and a place to express themselves.

Despite the blocking of mobile phones and cuts in fixed telephone lines, because of the earthquake of 8.9 degrees, the Internet works normally in Japan, that’s why citizens have turned to the social networks to contact their relatives and inform about their situation.

Social networks have become the source used by hundreds of thousands of people affected to reassure family members, or to discuss situations or locations, and within hours thousands of messages have been accumulated.

"I have just got home after walking two hours, has been a good scare," “I am fine but the phone does not work ", "Exhausted after the earthquake and aftershocks" are some of the posted messages on Facebook and Twitter Tokyoites after the earthquake.

After the new of a radiation leak at a nuclear plant in Tokyo, a large number of messages posted on social networking sites showed the panic of the people.

"I came home at 8 am after a depressing night (...) Now the nuclear plant exploded and may we have been already exposed to radioactivity, " said an 23 years old office worker on Facebook. "Just do not know what to do, what's next, and will I live tomorrow?" she asked.

At the same time, elsewhere in the world, Japanese citizens who were on holiday used Twitter, Facebook and Japan's Mixi to contact their families after the disaster.

"I can not get telephone (...) but I got through Facebook. Thank God for Facebook!" published a Tokyo resident in his profile.

"Yep! ousted dictator and reunites loved ones", published  another user.

Others were not so lucky.

"I haven’t contact my family and friends yet,  since the tsunami", published a student at Sophia University in Tokyo. "The information is necessary for me"