Area residents survive earthquake, tsunami

COEUR d’ALENE — For Jon Mueller, the most frightening part of being in Tokyo was not when the earthquake struck, but trying to sleep later that night.

From the 13th floor of their hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, the architect with Architects West in Coeur d’Alene went through an “unnerving” night as aftershocks rumbled and their hotel swayed.

“Saw 2 skyscrapers go fluid and very wobbly. Crazy, just crazy!” he wrote on his Facebook account.

Mueller was assured by front desk that hotel had all the latest earthquake technology.

When the quake hit, Mueller was eating with his wife Nancy on the sixth floor of the Ritz-Carlton. Staff ran for the dishes and crystal, he wrote.

“8.2 earthquake 330 mi north of us today” he posted. “All OK. Instead of rock n roll it is shake rattle n roll. Got bounced around quite a bit.

Mueller wrote that he wasn’t too concerned until he looked out and saw another skyscraper swaying.

Their entire complex was evacuated in orderly fashion and everyone was led to open space in a park.

“Many aftershocks,” he wrote. “Very impressed with Japanese emergency preparedness.”

Casey Snyder, son of Tim and Cheryl Snyder of Hayden, was also in Tokyo when the quake struck.

Through Facebook postings, the 25-year-old wrote that some shelves broke in his room, but he was OK.

“I’ve been chatting with my son in Tokyo and he said (it’s) very surreal — still shaking but he feels safe now,” Cheryl Snyder posted in a Facebook message.

Tim Snyder said his son has been attending college in Japan for five years, and is scheduled to return home March 31.

The epicenter was farther north from where Casey Snyder lived. Still, it was frightening for his son, Tim Snyder said.

“He wasn’t aware it was an 8.9 when we first talked,” Tim Snyder said Friday.

Ron and Nancy Voegel of Hayden were sleeping in their condominium in Brookings, Ore., when a siren wailed around 4 a.m.

In the next few hours, the tide rose, boats and docks were damaged and power went out, as the waves arrived from the earthquake that hit Japan Thursday.

“Outside our condo, it’s incredible,” Ron Voegel said Friday afternoon.

Voegel said the main danger wasn’t the waves, but how rapidly the Pacific was rising. He said in the beach area where low tide usually is, the water was nine feet higher.

“You wouldn’t be here,” Voegel said.

He said he received calls from family and friends inquiring about their safety after hearing of the tsunami coming their way.

“Both our sons called us and told us to get out of here,” Voegel said.

After the initial siren, the Voegels were told to prepare for tsunami waves that might arrive around 7:30. Small waves did roll in about 9.

Liz Weisenbach of Post Falls said Friday she working on a banner to hang outside her home as a way to let Japan know North Idaho residents were thinking about them and would do what they could to help.

On the banner, she planned to write: “Japan, you are not alone. We share your sadness.”

She said it would be great if others in the area would put up signs and banners, too, as a way to boost morale in Japan.

“I just want to support Japan,” Weisenbach added.

Mueller, who was in Tokyo to give a presentation to the American Society of Landscape Architects, hoped to catch a plane home Sunday.