Discovery en Espanol Premieres a Poignant Chronicle of the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami, in MEGAQUAKE: HOUR THAT SHOOK JAPAN

Discovery en Espanol Premieres a Poignant Chronicle of the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami, in MEGAQUAKE: HOUR THAT SHOOK JAPAN

Featuring Exclusive Video, Survivor Testimonies and Scientific Analysis, this Documentary Puts Viewers at the Epicenter of One of the Worst Disasters in Human History

MIAMI, May 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Discovery en Espanol's one-hour upcoming premiere of MEGAQUAKE: HOUR THAT SHOOK JAPAN captures the story of the moment the 9.0 earthquake struck northeast Japan on March 11, 2011 and the tsunami that followed, resulting in morethan 12,000 deaths. Poignant testimonies and remarkable footage captured that day reveal whathappened in those crucial moments following the quake as a tsunami barreled toward land at 500 milesper hour. The special also takes a scientific look at what happened that day in an attempt to piecetogether when Mother Nature could strike again. MEGAQUAKE: HOUR THAT SHOOK JAPAN, featuringexclusive interviews and never before seen footage, premieres on Discovery en Espanol on Sunday, May 15 at 9 PM E/P.

The spellbinding special, features an exclusive sound recording captured at the Wake Island hydro-acoustic station 2,000 miles away in the Pacific Ocean. The station belongs to the global monitoring network of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). The recording, made by ultra-sensitive hydrophones at a depth of 1,300 meters, was subsequently sped up by 32 times so it could be audible to human ears - enabling people to hear the actual sound of a 600km long section of the fault line in the earth's crust rupturing and grinding against rock with the power of 600 million Hiroshima bombs.

Viewers will also hear the very personal stories of those who experienced the events of March 11th.

Firefighter Takayama Yukio was inside the nuclear plant when the earthquake struck. He describes the sense of fear and desperation among those inside. The special also includes footage of Yukio and his fellow firefighters inside the reactor.

In the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, Japan's Sendai Airport was a nightmare - cars were strewn about the runway, debris littered the terminal and there was no power. Hear about the chain of events in an exclusive interview with the air traffic controller, Kibuna Yoshihiko, who was on duty that day.

The special also features interviews with Americans who were in Japan on March 11th, including Paula Lutze who was teaching school in Sendai. Exclusive footage shows Lutze in school that day. She was instrumental in rescuing children caught up in the chaos of the tsunami.

Additionally, MEGAQUAKE: HOUR THAT SHOOK JAPAN will examine the Pacific Ring of Fire - a name given to the region devastated by natural disasters in recent years - to assess whether the earth's tectonic plates are in a phase of increased activity, which could result in further seismic events. Through exclusive interviews with top seismologists and oceanographers, the documentary will piece together where Mother Nature might strike next.

MEGAQUAKE: HOUR THAT SHOOK JAPAN is produced for Discovery Channel by Darlow Smithson Productions, where Tom Brisley and Guy Davies are executive producers and Simon Young is producer. For Discovery Channel, Stephen Reverand is executive producer.

For more information on Discovery en Espanol programming viewers may log onto discoveryenespanol.com.

About Discovery en Espanol

Discovery en Espanol is the Spanish-language voice of Discovery. It is the premier network dedicated to offering the finest in quality programming in the areas of science and technology, world culture and history, nature and wildlife as well as real-life drama. The network creates an indelibly enriching experience by collecting the best of what Discovery's networks have to offer in combination with its own original Spanish-language content. Created by the world's most trusted media brand, Discovery en Espanol translates not just the words, but the feeling of Discovery, educating and engaging audiences nationwide with fascinating glimpses into the incredible world they inhabit. For more information, visit discoveryenespanol.com.

SOURCE Discovery en Espanol

Discovery en Espanol

CONTACT: Heidi Lazo, +1-305-255-4133, heidi@adcompr.com, or Angela D'Costa , +1-305-866-4944, angela@adcompr.com

Web Site: http://www.discoveryenespanol.com

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