Last December the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion announced that in all likelihood an earthquake of a seismic intensity of a weak six on the Japanese scale (causing heavy furniture to shake or fall down) will occur within the next 30 years. According to the announcement, with the highest probability of 78%,Yokohama City will most likely be affected, while the probability of Tokyo Prefecture being hit is 46%. Whenever a major earthquake occurs in Japan, there are many fatalities. When the Great Kanto Earthquake (M 7.9) occurred on September 1, 1923, over a hundred thousand people were killed or went missing. When the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake (M 7.3) occurred on January 17, 2005, there were over 6,000 fatalities. When the catastrophic Great East Japan Earthquake (M 9.0)occurred on March 11, 2011, there were over 20,000 fatalities – including those who went missing. However, the memory of these huge disasters is apt to fade with time. In Japan there is a proverb: “Disaster strikes when least expected.” Young people in the areas affected by the Hanshin Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake communicate with each other, and through telling their stories are actively conveying information about how to deal with future tragedies. Within Japan a variety of preparations for dealing with earthquakes are being carried out. When an earthquake occurs television or radio programs are suspended or captions are run in a loop on the screen to convey information about the epicenter and the scale of the quake. Furthermore cell phone alarms go off to alert people to the emergency and to convey information. Municipalities publish earthquake countermeasure manuals in Japanese and foreign languages on their websites and distribute maps of nearby shelters to residents. In spite of this, since great disasters seldom take place and are limited to particular areas, people have a tendency to neglect earthquake countermeasures. It’s fundamental to know that fires should be extinguished and that to be sure of being able to escape to the street, doors and windows should be left open, outside it’s important to look out for falling debris. In Japan there is another proverb: “Well prepared means no worries.”
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