Events of the last few days have taught us once again about the power of mother nature and how being ready, aware and knowledgeable in an earthquake situation is particularly important here in Japan.
Sitting here in Nagoya and watching development on the news make you feel rather useless but at the same time incredibly lucky to be alive. What we have to be aware of however is that the images we have seen, the total devastation caused by the recent quake could very well happen in this area in the very near future.
This is not to scare people into leaving the country or moving prefectures but the Tokai area of Japan which includes Aichi, Gifu, Shizuoka has been scheduled for a major earthquake for the last 25 years. Having occurred regularly with an interval of 100 to 150 years in the Tōkai region of Japan, the area is said to be due a very large quake at any moment. The Tokai segment has been struck by earthquakes in 1498, 1605, 1707 and 1854. Basically, every 110 years on average and currently at 157 years is the longest period without a major shock since 1498.
The fact is, being negative and expecting a quake is not the way to live life in the region but knowing what could happen and what to do in the event is very important indeed. Japan is as well prepared as any country on earth but what can’t be guaranteed in total prevention or the saving of every single life. We have just seen the aftermath of the Tsunami and realize that without building 20 meter walls around every single coastline, stopping the power of the sea is almost impossible. There was also the case in 1995, Kobe, where although the power of the quake was not close to that felt on Friday, the way in which the earth shook (a vertical movement as opposed to the usual horizontal shifting) and the timing of the quake (5:46am) caught the whole city off-guard.
What we need is to be aware, Aware that we live in a country that is prone to earthquake and to be aware that this area in particular is at a higher risk than others. Just knowing immediately gives you the best chance to deal with the situation if it were to come about – as opposed to being absolutely clueless on the topic.
Two very important links for people in the Nagoya area:
Preparing for the Tokai Earthquake (Basic Information)
Preparing for the Tokai Earthquake (Procedures and Tips)
About Robert
