Coulee City woman wonders about fate of Japanese relatives

COULEE CITY - A former Coulee City schoolteacher awaits news about the fate of her three cousins and elderly aunts living in Japan.

Betty Treacy's family lives in a fishing village near Shiogama, located eight miles south of Sendai, the earthquake's epicenter.

An 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck Japan Friday, later followed by a tsunami.

The death toll is less than 2,000 people, according to a Los Angeles Times article.

In Coulee City, Treacy learned about the earthquake from an e-mail written by her brother living in Iraq, former Moses Lake resident Jim Treacy.

"It would be really nice to know one way or the other," Betty said.

Her mother's cousin tried to reach family by phone on Friday and Sunday. She was unable to get through.

"She's going to wait a couple of days," Betty said. "We may just have to wait."

She's never met her aunts, but hopes the best for everyone.

The youngest of her aunts is in her seventies.

"Not knowing is the hardest," Betty said. "We can't change what happened, but not knowing is terrible. It would be really nice to know one way or another."

Betty's ties to Japan are through her mother, the late Akiko Treacy.