Twenty-first Memorial of Urban Earthquake

As September 11^th victims’ families are still missing their loved ones, the families and friends of victims in a great earthquake twenty-one years ago do not forget memories of the deceased 6434. Kobe had a memorial ceremony of Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake on Sunday. It was a day for Japanese to think how could they be ready for natural disaster, which would be a destiny for the islanders on tectonic plates.

In a meeting in Kobe on Sunday, the victims’ families spoke out their impression about the tragedy. “After twenty-one years, my grief and sadness has not changed,” told Hiromi Yamamoto, 42, who lost her mother in the earthquake. She has been suffering from losing basis of her life, feeling the end of the world. After marriage, giving two births and passed twenty-year memorial last year, she could manage to accept what hade been happened on her. “I hope to tell about my mother lived,” said Yamamoto to the public for the first time.

New facts still keep on appearing these days. Japan Broadcasting Corporation, or NHK, reported that resuming electric supply caused fires significantly. On the day of earthquake, there rose 205 fires in the suffered area, causing 500 of deaths. But, 95 fires started one hour after the earthquake or later. It is supposed that electric heater in living room was pulled down by the quake, electric supply was temporarily stopped, people evacuated the house, electricity resumed, then, the heater ignited interiors touching itself. In the urban earthquake, fire was proved to be a great threat.

Government of Hyogo Prefecture decided to establish a graduate college for reconstruction study. To produce human resource for unexpected natural disaster, the college will give idea on how to reduce the damage of earthquake or other disasters and prepare for reconstruction effort in possible disaster. Expected classes include executive crisis management in disaster, management of volunteering, mental care for victims and education for disaster prevention.

Volcanic activities seem to be active these years, as seen in Mt. Ontakesan, Aso or Hakone resort. They are recognized as caused by active moves underground. The most damaging scenario is great earthquake right under the city of Tokyo. It is estimated that a 7-digree magnitude of earthquake under Tokyo, which likeliness is 70% within coming 30 years, will cause 23,000 deaths and ¥95 trillion of economic loss. The national government began to consider relocating some public agencies to local area. Consumer Affairs Agency to Tokushima and Agency for Cultural Affairs to Kyoto. But, if they are serious about the issue, they need to determine the place for alternative capital as soon as possible.