When the earthquake struck , the mayor , Jin Sato ( 佐藤仁 ) , was talking at the town assembly about the ( much smaller ) tsunami caused by the March 9 foreshock of the March 11 earthquake .
When the earthquake struck , the mayor of the town , Jin Sato ( 佐藤仁 ) , was talking at the town assembly . They were discussing the much smaller tsunami caused by the March 9 foreshock before the March 11 earthquake .