Tragedy in Japan

I know we have all been riveted, and horrified, by the news coming out of Japan this weekend in the wake of Friday’s massive earthquake and tsunami. Below is just a sampling of some of the stories, images, and ways to help out there on the Web right now:

• Above, a before-and-after Google Earth image of Arahama in Sendai. ABC news has more here. Dragging that slider bar across the images feels like erasing the entire country…

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• News about a second explosion at an already troubled nuclear power plant. Officials say that “the reactor’s containment was not damaged and although radiation was leaked, levels were low.”
• Via the Browser: Some perspective from a businessman on the ground in Japan, who says the nation’s preparedness for natural disasters has already kept the potential fallout from being even worse.
• A profile of a Jesuit missionary who had ministered in Japan for 50 years and was one of the thousands who lost his life over the weekend.
• “Why do we suffer?” A touching and thoughtful reflection from Father James Martin on the age-old problem of evil and suffering in the world.
• Finally, and perhaps most importantly, ways you can help: Donate to Catholic Relief Services or the Japanese Red Cross Society (via Google’s helpful crisis response page). 

Feel free to leave other links in the comments. St. Francis Xavier, pray for them.