Memory of Great Hanshin Earthquake

Memory of Great Hanshin Earthquake

This page is to share my unforgettable experience during Great Hanshin Earthquake on January 17, 1995. This is not for making you scared, but for making you PREPARED if you happen to encounter similar disaster in your life...

Key learnings:

1. Always keep at hand some drinkable water to avoid panic.
(You really feel unsecured without any water. And you can't count on anybody else.)
2. Pack a small "emergency kit" and keep it at hand in your bedroom.
3. Keep small amount of cash (US$ and local currency) which CAN help you in many ways. (phone call, food supply, etc.)
4. Try to keep your bed away from heavy furniture. (Closet or TV can FLY!)

Return to Opening page

A "myth"

Japan is very famous for many earthquakes. Especially around Tokyo, we tend to have mid-sized earthquakes every 2-3 years. However everyone lived around Kansai (the area around Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe) used to believe they were free from big earthquake. As I recall, I experienced only 2-3 small quakes since I was born, and frankly I was wondering why people felt so scared to quakes.

Around new year there were some relatively big quakes at the northern part of Japan. We in Kansai area talked to each other, "Oh, what a pity for new year! But fortunately we don't need to worry as long as living here". I had a similar chat with my contractors' CEO from Tokyo when he made a visit on the previous Friday - January 13. (Later he told me I could be a prophet!)

January 17 - 5:46AM

It was the day after 3 consecutive holidays in Japan. I had worked at home with my Laptop, for I was supposed to give a presentation in the Project Board meeting on January 17. I couldn't sleep well, stay up until 2:30 AM, and decided to wake up 30 minutes later than usual. It was my habit to wake up around 5:30, but on the day I set my alarm clock at 6AM. (If I had woken up at 5:30, I would have been hit by a heavy furniture...)

I was waken by a small shake. So did my wife, crying in the bed "it's a quake!!". But it was still small, so I said to my wife, "Calm down, it's a small earthquaaaa!!"

All of sudden my words were shut by a feeling of falling down. Yes, whole my house was shaking up and down, twisted, screaming with awful voice, and I heard terrible sounds of crashing furnitures and dishes. We could do nothing - but hold each other in the bed so that we'd not be thrown out of bed. It continued about 20 seconds, but I felt it much much longer.

Then silence came back. It was really strange feeling - I have never heard the sound of silence like that. As if all creatures were dead. I looked for my glasses, and found my wife's closet was hitting my pillow. If I had not moved down by 1 feet during the quake, my head would have been attacked and very seriously injured by the heavy closet!! Then I stood up, looked outside to find a roof of my neighbors' crashing to the ground. A scream broke the silence, "HELP!! My family is under the crashed roof!"

Hell in the real world

We went out, found the scene was something like a movie of battle field. Many houses and buildings are completely crashed to pieces. There was very strong smell of LPG, and crashed houses were closing small roads.

Soon some of the crashed houses started catching fire. A lady was running around, screaming "Where are fire-fighters? My house is on fire!" Nobody could help her, even the fire fighters because they could not get water from anywhere. After 5 hours or more, around 10,000 square meters burnt down to ash in a visible distance to my house ...

Red moon and shocking pictures

It was already about 5PM. We were totally at a loss, but starting to look for friends living near-by.

A road to evacuate

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Return to Opening page