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Whereas, on March 11, 2011 a massive earthquake, registering 9.0 on the Richter Scale struck 80 miles off the eastern coast of northern Japan; and
Whereas, the violent force of this earthquake shook northern Japan for more than three minutes, shifted the island of Japan more than eight feet eastward, and permanently tilted the earth's axis more than 4 inches; and
Whereas, the earthquake produced a deadly tsunami, more than 30 feet tall, that, less than five minutes after the earthquake ended, overpowered the eastern coast of Japan, destroying entire cities; and
Whereas, the tsunami travelled across the Pacific Ocean, making landfall and causing devastation in Polynesia, Melanesia, North America, and South America; and
Whereas, the combined destruction of the earthquake and the tsunami has caused a major nuclear emergency at six nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant, and has likely caused a partial meltdown in at least three of those reactors; and
Whereas, in the aftermath of these emergencies, more than 500,000 Japanese citizens have been displaced, and an additional 170,000 have been evacuated as a result of the nuclear emergency unfolding at the Fukushima Daichi facility; and
Whereas, the Japanese government estimates that more than 18,400 Japanese citizens died in the earthquake and tsunami; and
Whereas, the World Bank has estimated that the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster together have caused more than $206 billion in damage to the island nation; now
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THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED That the People of the City of Pittsburgh stand in solidarity with the People of Japan during this time of national tragedy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That the City Council of the City of Pittsburgh urges all Pittsburghers to donate to emergency relief agencies such as the American Red Cross, the Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh, the Brother's Brother Foundation, CARE, World Vision, The Salvation Army, Catholic Relief Services, as well as other worthy and involved service organizations; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED That the City of Pittsburgh declares today, Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 a City wide day of memoriam in honor of the Japanese people who died as a result of these catastrophic events.