Politics & Government

Word From Nishiwaki: We're OK

Renton's sister city is unaffected by quake, tsunami.

Thanks to Renton Patch reader, Barbara Nilson, we now know that the residents of Renton's sister city, Nishiwaki, are OK. In fact, the land-locked city didn't even feel the quake.

Nilson, who traveled to Nishiwaki, Japan, through the sister city program, emailed resident, Sadano Utaka.

"[Utaka] responded that she did not feel the earthquake there and all seems to be fine. I also heard from friends in Tokyo where transportation was closed ," wrote Nilson in an email to Patch.

Find out what's happening in Rentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Although the Seattle-area saw minimal effects of the tsunami that resulted from Thursday's 8.9 earthquake in Japan, city officials emailed their government contacts in Nishiwaki.

According to a post that appeared on Saturday afternoon on the City of Renton Facebook page, "They are safe and have sent firefighters, doctors and nurses to help affected areas."

Find out what's happening in Rentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The West Coast was on alert for coastal wave action following reports of a tsunami in Japan. Shortly after the quake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center sent out an alert to the entire U.S. West Coast. At 8:45 Friday morning, the Center recorded a small, 4.5-inch wave on the Seattle-area coastline. Further down the coast, in Half Moon Bay, Calif., coastal residents saw  followed by .

The next meeting for the Renton-Nishiwaki Sister City Committee is on Wednesday, March 23, at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Conference Room #720, located on the 7th floor of . Email Sonja Mejlaender or call 425.430.6514 for more informationt about the Renton-Nishiwaki Sister City Committee.


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