災害は忘れたころにやって来る

　昨日はラジオ体操会場の倉賀野町上四公園で、午後3時から「テント張り」をしました。何のテントかと言いますと、実は今日の午前９時半から地区の住民が集まり「防災訓練」が実施されます。ですから、テント張りはその準備でした。消防署から起震車が来て、住民は地震の揺れを体験します。これに乗ると、揺れが怖くて途中で泣き出す子供もいて地震の怖さを知る貴重な体験になります。

　一見、平和に平穏に経過する毎日ですが、自然災害や火災はいつ起こるか分かりません。それは就寝中かも、通勤中かも、食事中かも、職場にいる時かもしれません。深夜に災害が起こると停電になる可能性があり、スマホは使えるとは限らず、離れている家族との連絡が取れないことも起こり、絶対に必要なトイレが使えなくなる場合もあります。

　一方、大地震など災害が起こると、流通が途絶え、スーパーやコンビニから食料が無くなります。平素から「３日分の食料を確保」しておきましょう。

　私は今までの人生で、誠に怖い思いを二度体験しました。一つは、搭乗してた飛行機が墜落しそうになりました。インドのベンガル湾上空で比較的小さな飛行機がサイクロンの中に入ってしまい、推定２００メートルほどどんどん急降下してしまい、窓から何も見えず、客は皆、顔面蒼白、機内の荷物は天井にぶつかり、私は椅子にしがみ付きました。

　もう一つは、東北大震災後のある日、新宿副都心の超高層ビルの５０階にいたとき物凄い余震が起こったのです。ビルが５mほど左右に横揺れし、その揺れは５分間程止まらず、恐ろしいブランコに乗った感覚でビルが崩れ落ちるかと思い、この世とは思えない恐怖を感じました。もう、超高層ビルには行きません。

Dear my overseas friends

　The simultaneous interpretation for you will be later, because from now on I will participate the radio gymnastics held at the park and take a breakfast. Then I'll interpret into English for your understanding above mentioned contents.

　Yesterday, we pitched a tent at 3:00 pm at Kuragano-town Kami-fourth Park where is the venue for radio gymnastics. The residents of the area will actually be gathering at 9:30 a.m. today for a "disaster prevention drill". So our pitching the tent was preparation for that. An earthquake truck comes from the fire department, and residents will experience the shaking of the earthquake. When riding this truck, some children are so scared of the tremors that they start crying, so that this makes a valuable experience to learn about the fear of earthquake.

　At first glance, each day passes peacefully, but we never know when a natural disaster or fire may occur. It may be occurred while we're sleeping, commuting, eating, or at work. If a disaster occurs in the middle of the night, there is a possibility of a power outage, smartphones may not always work, you may not be able to contact family members who are far away, and you may not be able to use the toilet that you absolutely need.

　On the other hand, when a disaster such as a major earthquake occurs, the distribution of food is disrupted and supermarkets and convenience stores run out of food. Always make sure you have enough food for three days.

　I have experienced truly frightening twice in my past life. In one case, the plane I was on almost crashed. A relatively small plane entered in a cyclone over the Bay of Bengal in India, and it plummeted for an estimated 200 meters. Nothing could be seen out the window, all the passengers turned pale, and the luggage on board hit the ceiling. So I clung to the chair as my body floated.

　Another thing is that one day after the Great Tohoku Earthquake that occurred in Japan about ten years ago, I was on the 50th floor of a skyscraper in the Shinjuku subcenter in Tokyo when a tremendous aftershock occurred. The building swayed from side to side for about 5 meters, and the shaking continued for about 5 minutes. I felt like I was on a swing, and I thought the building was going to collapse, therefore I felt an unearthly fear. I don't go to skyscrapers anymore.

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