地震から身を守るためのアドバイス

英語

Advice forProtecting Yourself
in an Earthquake

Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association (SenTIA)
Project of Japan Student Services Organization

subsidized by the Nakajima Foundation

Let’s Learn About Earthquakes
Sendai has been heavily damaged by earthquakes manytimes. Ask your neighbors what happened at thosetimes and gather information.
The 1978 Miyagi Earthquake (M 7.4) occurredon the evening of June 12th.

In Sendai City,

many people became victims in the collapse of
concrete-block walls and other structures.
On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, a large
earthquake (M 9.0) caused the Great East Japan
Earthquake Disaster. In Sendai’s Miyagino andWakabayashi wards, many lives were lost in atsunami.
＊ M (magnitude) is a unit of measure of the sizeof an earthquake.

① Lack of information
For a period of time after the earthquake, it was
unusually difficult to obtain a cellular phone or internet
connection. The inability to charge cellular phones due
to power outages was also a problem.
Many people were troubled by not knowing what was
happening, or being unable to contact family andfriends.

② Power outages
In the best cases, power was restored the next day;excluding heavily-

What’s Dangerous About Earthquakes?
Fires

Problems Encountered in the
Great East Japan Earthquake

After an earthquake, there isa chance that fires will breakout. In areas that are crowded

damaged areas, inother areas power
was restored within a
week.

Nights were

uneasy without any
electric lighting.

with buildings, a fire may spreadthroughout the entire area.

③ Water outages
Tsunamis

If an earthquake occurs in theocean, there is a chance of atsunami. People near oceans andrivers must exercise caution.

Many areas experienced
water outages, and it
took from a few days
to a week before water
was restored.

Peoplehad trouble securing

Collapsingbuildings

Houses and other buildings
may collapse, and people may
be caught under them.

Newerbuildings (those built after the
1981 amendment to the buildingcode) are comparatively safer.

water for drinking anddaily activities.

④ Inability to flush toilets
With water outages came the problem of being unable
to flush toilets. People who had left their bathwater inthe tub were able to use that water to flush the toilet.

Falling objects

There is a chance that furniture,computers, and lighting fixtures
may come crashing down.

You

could also be injured by steppingon broken glass.

If you are

outdoors, there is a chance you
could be caught under fallingvending machines, walls, signs, orother objects.

Landslides

People near steep mountainslopes and cliffs must exercise
caution.

2⑤ Gas outages
In most areas, it was over a month before gas wasrestored.

The inability to cook or heat rooms andbathwater was a problem.

⑥ Food shortages
It was difficult to secure food, and even after waiting in along line people could only buy small amounts of food.

⑦ Lack of transportation
Trains, subways, and the Shinkansen stopped
running for a period of time, and busses were lessfrequent. Cars and motorcycles could not be used
due to gasoline shortages. The number of peopleusing bicycles increased.

What You Can Do to Prepare for an Earthquake① Imagine what you would do
What would you do if there
were an earthquake rightnow?

What if it werenighttime?

It’s important

to imagine a variety of
scenarios and discuss themwith your family, friends
and acquaintances.

② Earthquake-proof your homea) Prevent furniture and appliances from falling overFurniture and appliances may fall
over in an earthquake. You canmake your home safer by fixing
furniture and appliances to thewall with fasteners available athome centers and other stores.
•It’s dangerous to store heavy
objects in high places.
•Is there any furniture that could
fall and block access to an exit?

b) Lighting fixtures suspended from the ceiling aresafer if they are lightweightc) Leave slippers, a radio, and a flashlight by yourbedsideWhat would happen if there were an earthquake while
you were sleeping? In order to avoid being injured bystepping on broken glass, leave a pair of heavy slippers
by your bed. To prepare for a power outage, leave aradio and flashlight in an easily accessible place.
d) Have a fire extinguisher handy
You can buy a fire extinguisher at home centers andother stores.

③ Confirm safe areas and roads
around your homea) Confirm a safe place near your home

Wide-open areas such as parks where things will notcome falling down are safe. If there is a large fire andyou have to take refuge in a safer place, it will be easierto escape to a place that is accessible by multiple
roads.
b) In coastlands, confirm a high place you can escapeto in case of a tsunami
In the event that there is no high land in the area,
confirm the location of a tall, strong building, andFurniture is securely fastened to the wall
Furniture is arranged so that even if it

Heavy objects are stored in low places

falls over, it won’t block the door.

The television isfastened down

Strong-soled footwear is placed in
the sleeping area.
A radio and flashlight are placed by
the pillow.

COLUMN“Because I had confirmed the roads I would use to escape ahead of time, I was able to escape quickly after theearthquake. But it was nighttime, so it was pitch black and I couldn’t see anything. I was very scared. I think
next time I will try walking the route at night as well.”(From a resident’s experience of the Great East Japan
Earthquake Disaster)3

whether it can be entered at night and on weekends

before leaving.

and holidays.

It’s also convenient to have food that does not requirec) Are the roads you might use to escape safe?

preparation, such as canned food, and bottled water in

There is a chance that you could be caught under fallingyour home in case of food shortages or water outages.

concrete-block walls, vending machines, or otherobjects. Narrow roads could become blocked by falling
objects.

⑦ Meet people in your neighborhood
In a disaster, cooperation is a major④ Confirm your refuge area
In Sendai City, public elementary and junior highschools as well as other buildings are designated as
refuge areas.

Confirm the designated refuge area

nearest to your home and safe roads you can use to getthere by actually walking the route.

⑤ Decide on a method of communication
with your family and friends
In the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster, for aperiod of time after the earthquake, it was very difficult
to obtain a connection on cellular phones andsmartphones. Decide with your family and friends now
how you will get in contact and where you will meet incase of a disaster.

☞ Try out the emergency message board described on
page 7 ahead of time.

⑥ Gather items to take with you
when you escapeIt’s convenient to have the items you will need in a bag

Do you know
who lives in yourneighbors on a daily basis can comeneighborhood?
source of strength. Greeting yourin handy in a disaster.

⑧ Confirm a means of obtaining
information
In a disaster, it is very worrying not to have information.
Find out ahead of time how you can get information.

☞ page 8

Useful Information
The strength of tremors inanearthquake is its“震度 (shindo)：① seismic
intensity”; the size ofan earthquake is its“magnitude”(M)
The size of an earthquake is expressed by magnitude(M) all over the world, but the measurement of thestrength of the tremors differs by country.

“Seismic Intensity”as usedby the Japan Meteorological Agency

that you can grab quickly before taking refuge. Make
sure you have items like a first aid kit and contactlenses in a place where you can grab them quickly

しん ど

よ ん

４

震度

(shindo yon)
しん ど

震度

ご

5弱
じゃく

(shindo go jaku)
しん ど

震度

ご

5強
きょう

(shindo go kyou)

Most people will feel tremors while
walking.

Most people will awake

from sleep.
Food and books may fall from shelves.
Unsecured furniture may fall over.
(Taihaku Ward in the Great East Japan
Earthquake Disaster.)
It is difficult to stand up.

しん ど

震度

ろく

6弱
じゃく

(shindo roku jaku)

Mostunsecured furniture will move, and may
fall over. Doors may become unable tobe opened. (Aoba Ward, Wakabayashi
Ward, and Izumi Ward in the Great East
Japan Earthquake Disaster.)
It is impossible to stand up. Nearly all

しん ど

震度

ろく

6強
きょう

(shindo roku kyou)

なな

7・A copy of your Residence Card

しん ど

•Cash (with plenty of coins and 1,000 yen bills)(shindo nana)•Flashlight•Radio•Gloves•First aid kit•Rain gear
•Lighter/matches•Plastic bags
•Food that does not require preparation•Other personal items you may require, such as
household medicines, contact lens solution, andsanitary napkins

4much of it will fall over. (Miyagino Wardin the Great East Japan Earthquake
Disaster.)

Emergency Kit Contents•Socks and underwear

unsecured furniture will move, and

震度

Nearly all unsecured furniture will moveand fall over, and may go flying.

② Earthquake Early WarningThis is a system that will warn of a strong earthquake
before tremors begin. A special chime will sound on
the television and radio, cellular phones andsmartphones. (The system may be incompatible withsome cellular phones.)

When there is an Earthquake
If You Are at Home
① Protect your head

② Watch out for falling objects
such as signs and window glass
Move away from buildings.

When you feel an earthquake, hide under a strong deskand protect your head. Hold firmly onto the legs of thedesk so that you do
not fly out from underit. If there is no
furniture under which
to hide, protect yourhead with a cushionor other object.
Extraordinarily strong tremors will normally stop
within one minute, but in the Great East Japan
Earthquake Disaster, they continued for aroundthree minutes.

② Don’t panic and rush outsideIt’s dangerous to panic andrush outside. When leaving

If You Are at School or in a Shop
① Protect your head
Hide under a desk, or, if there is no furniture underwhich to hide, protect your head with a cushion orother object.

② Watch out for falling objects
If you feel tremors
when you are in a hallor other area witha building, watch out for

objects such as lighting

objects falling from above.

fixtures suspended fromthe ceiling, watch out.

③ Extinguish fires after tremors
have weakened
Approaching a fire
during strong tremors isdangerous. Extinguishfires after tremors have
weakened.

④ Secure an exit by opening a door
Buildings may warp, making doors
unable to be opened. After tremors

There is a possibility
they may come crashingdown.

③ Don’t panic and rush outside
Stay calm and follow the instructions of your teacher orstore clerk.

If You Are in an Elevator
Push the buttons for all floors and get off as soon as

have weakened, secure an exit as

possible.

soon as possible by opening a door.

If You Are Driving a Car

It is especially important to secure
an exit in tall buildings such as large
apartment buildings.

Slow down gradually, stop

If You Are Outside

the road and turn off the① Stay away from concrete-block
walls and vending machines

on the left-hand side ofengine.

Listen for news

on the radio. If you go toa refuge area, leave yourcar and go on foot.

They may come falling down.
Move away from them assoon as possible.

5After Tremors Have Settled Down
① Look around④ Go somewhere safe

Is it safe inside your home?

A wide-open area where nothing will come falling down

Have you turned off all gas- and oil-burning appliances?

on you, and which has multiple escape routes, is safe.

Are there any fires?

If a large fire breaks

During aftershocks, there is a chance that your home
may be further damaged or that fires may spread andtrap you.

out, you will haveto escape to a safer
place. It is safer toAfter a large earthquake, there may be a series ofsmaller earthquakes.

These are called aftershocks.

have multiple
escape routes.

Walls and other structures that were weakened in an
earthquake may become further damaged in theaftershocks.

② Gather informationfrom the television and radio⑤ Call out to the people around you
and help each otherIf you see someone who needs help, please help them.

Within minutes of the occurrence of an earthquake, its
size and seismic intensity in each area, and whether
there will be a tsunami, will
be broadcast on the
television and radio.
When a Major Tsunami
Warning or a Tsunami
Warning is issued,

NHK TV

will broadcast in English,
Chinese, Korean, andPortuguese on supplementarysound channels.
NHK Radio 2 (Sendai 1089
kHz) will broadcast repeatedly
in Japanese, English, Chinese,
Korean, and Portuguese.

③ Watch out for tsunamis
When an earthquake occurs in the ocean, there is achance of a tsunami. The Japan Meteorological Agency
aims to announce within two to three minutes of theoccurrence of an earthquake whether there will be atsunami, the estimated wave height, and the estimatedtime of arrival. If you feel an earthquake when you arenear the ocean, check the television or radio for thisinformation right away. If a tsunami is coming, getaway from the ocean and escape to a safe place⑥ If your home is not safe,
go to a refuge area
It is very dangerous to be alone
in a damaged home.

Takeminimal belongings with you
and go to a refuge area.

In

Sendai City, public elementaryand junior high schools, as wellas other buildings, aredesignated as refuge areas.

⑦ Checklist for leaving your home
to go to a refuge area
□ Make sure your heater is turned off.
□ Flip your breaker switch.
□ Turn off your gas at the main.
□ Make sure your faucets are turned off.
□ Take your valuables (identification, cash, bank card,etc.).

immediately.

□ Take your cellular phone or smartphone and charger.

Japan Meteorological Agency Tsunami Warnings
and Advisories□ Take your emergency kit.

おお つ なみけいほう

大津波警報(ootsunami keihou)

Major Tsunami
Warning

A large tsunami is approaching that willcause heavy damage(tsunami keihou)

Tsunami Warning

つ なみちゅう い ほう

津波注意報

(tsunami chuuihou)

Tsunami Advisory6□ Close and lock your windows and doors.
□ If you are unable to contact your family and friends,
post a memo stating where you are going on yourfront door.

つ なみけいほう

津波警報□ Put on warm clothing.

A tsunami that will cause damage

It is dangerous to be in or near theoceanWhat to Do After Arriving at your Refuge Area
① Sign in
Write your name and information on the sign-in sheet
at the reception desk. This will allow various people to
be informed of your whereabouts.
Even if you stay in your home, if you are unable to cook
due to power, gas, or water outages, you can receive
food and water at your refuge area. You can also use
specially set-up toilets.

② Get water, food, and information
Take only the amount of water and food you need atthat time.

Telling People Where You Are
When there is a large disaster, please inform yourembassy, school, workplace, etc. of your whereabouts.
They can pass your information on to people who aresearching for you, and will likely be seeking to confirm
your safety.

Commonly-Used Japanese Phrases
in Times of Disaster
ひ なん

避難（hinan）と ほ

徒歩で（toho de）

Escape; go to a safe place.
On foot.

Information is collected at refuge areas. If you see
someone who having trouble due to not understanding
the language and you are able to interpret, please help.

③ Help out

たかだい

高台（takadai）

High ground.

ゆうどう

Give someone directions to

誘導（yuudou）

Refuge areas are run by those who have come to seek
refuge. If you are able-bodied, please help by carrying
materials, cleaning, etc.

う かい

a place.

迂回（ukai）

Detour.

あん ぴ(Check) whether someone

安否（anpi）

is safe.

おうきゅうしょ ち

応急処置（oukyuu shochi） First aid.
そな

備える（sonaeru）
ていでん

What to Do if You Can’t
Contact Your Family and Friends
In a disaster, it becomes difficult to obtain a connection
on cellular phones and smartphones. Try the following
methods.
•It’s comparatively easier to connect to unaffectedareas, so tell someone far away where you are.

停電（teiden）
だんすい

断水（dansui）
きゅうすいしゃ

給水車（kyuusuisha）
ひし まつ

火の始末をする(hi no shimatsu wo suru）•It’
s easy to get a connection on public telephones.
•If you can’t connect by telephone, try e-mail.
•Use an emergency message board for phones andsmartphones.
Emergency message board for cellular phones andsmartphones
When there is a large disaster, an“emergency message
board”option will appear on the top screen of cellular
phones and smartphones.
Posting a message
Emergency message board → Post a message → Writemessage → Post
Reading a message
Emergency message board → Read a message → Enter aphone number → Search → Message appears

ふ つう

不通（futsuu）
うんてん

Power outage.
Water outage.
Water truck.
Turn off gas- and oil-burning
appliances.
Not running; impassible.

み あ

運転を見合わせる（unten wo miawaseru）
き けん

危険（kiken）
きゅうじょ

救助（kyuujo）
けいかい

警戒（keikai）
さまた

Prepare.

妨げ（samatage）(Trains are) not running.

Dangerous.
Help.
Caution.
Obstruction.

7

すみやかに、ただちに(sumiyaka ni , tadachi ni)
たちいりきん し

立入禁止（tachiiri kinshi）

Soon.

FM Taihaku

78.9MHzDo Not EnterFM Izumi

79.7MHz③ Sendai Disaster Multilingual
Support Center

つうこうきん し通行禁止（tsuukou kinshi） Do Not Pass
ふ きん

付近（fukin）
ひか控える（hikaeru）
み

あんぜん

かく ほ

身の安全を確保（mi no anzen wo kakuho）

When there is a large disaster, the Sendai Disaster

Near.

Multilingual Support Center is set up inside Sendai
International Center and provides information in

Avoid.

English, Chinese, and Korean.
You can also contact Sendai International Center foradvice in foreign languages.

Protect yourself.

Address: Inside Sendai International Center

How to Obtain Information

Aobayama, Aoba Ward, Sendai City
TEL: 022-224-1919 / 022-265-2471
FAX: 022-265-2472① Refuge areas

http://int.sentia-sendai.jp/saigai/

You can see information from City Hall and othersources.

Important information may be posted in

English and other languages.

SenTIA MAIL
The Sendai Tourism, Convention and International
Association (SenTIA) provides a variety of informationby e-mail in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. We② Radio

also provide information by e-mail in times of disaster.

The Sendai Tourism, Convention and International
Association (SenTIA) cooperates with radio stations in
Sendai to provide useful information in English, Chineseand other languages over the radio.

Radio stations that broadcast in foreign languages withthe cooperation of with the cooperation of SenTIA
Date FM (FM Sendai)

77.1MHzRadio 376.2MHz☞ Register at http://int.sentia-sendai.jp/e/activity/

mailmagazine.html

SenTIA’s Facebook・Twitter“Like”us to automatically receive our updates.
☞ Search for Sendai Tourism, Convention andInternational Association on Facebook
You can get the latest information if you follow us on
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Advice for Protecting
Yourself in an Earthquake
April, 2019

Editing and Publication:
Sendai Tourism, Convention and International
Association (SenTIA)
Design:Yamaoka Fumie Taketoshi Akihiro
Illustrations:Abe Koharu

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