Learning about the Kobe Earthquake

Singapore recently experienced some earthquake aftershocks and I read about it in the news, on peoples' blogs, etc... Last Saturday, I made a trip to the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Centre - Disaster Reduction Musuem with 2 Korean friends to learn more about earthquakes and natural disasters. It was such a fruitful trip and a great learning experience.

The Disaster Reduction Museum























In Jan 17, 1995, 5.46am, an earthquake measuring 6.9 to 7.3 on the Richter scale struck the southern part of Hyogo Prefecture. This earthquake claimed over 6000 lives in Kobe (where I am staying now), shook the whole nation, and even the world. The destruction was massive and the aftermath unimaginable and if you want to read about the details, just type in Kobe earthquake in Google or Wikipedia and you can read all about it.

What I really want to say is that as a Singaporean, I have never seen or experienced such immense destruction or feel the rage of Nature to such an extent. As I was in the theatre watching the video clips and images, I tried to imagine how it could have been. Building toppled over, expressways collapsed. roofs caved in, people trapped, a hand in the debris, screams and cries, sirens wailing, fire... and the earthquake struck at a time when people least expected it. The whole city was silent and most people were sound asleep. I saw this highway bus screeching to a stop just in time, with a quarter of its body hanging precariously over the edge of an expressway that had snapped into two. (It's really like what you see in the movies.)

I felt so thankful that I live in Singapore then. We have no natural disasters and there are no extreme temperature conditions. I really feel that Singapore is so blessed and safe, yet I know we should never ever take this for granted, because you really really never know what can happen. At the same time, I marvelled at human strength and will. As I walked through the pages of this earthquake, I saw the destruction and wreckage, then I saw how the people picked up their lives again despite the loss and despair. It was almost almost heart-wrenching, and I could possibly never understand the grief they felt.

No wonder every year, the Kobe Luminarie is celebrated with such hype and people all over the world come to Kobe to view this magnificent light-up. Last December when I went to the Luminarie, I couldn't really comprehend the story behind it, but now I do.

The Japanese picked themselves up. Restoration began. In the midst of darkness, an even mighter strength arose - HOPE. Really it was just so touching. I flipped through documents, looked at the pictures and exhibits and marvelled. There was this old grandfather clock with its hands stopping at exactly 5.46am. It was January then and thus, very cold at that time, but the people stood together and supported each other. Hot meals were served FOC, volunteers from all walks of life offered help, memorial services held, buildings reconstructed, temporary shelters built and slowly but surely, winter became spring and flowers started blooming again. I read several accounts of the peoples' stories and really felt that there is amazing strength in us - the creation called MAN.

I really wanted to take pictures to show everyone, but it was not permitted... yeah, anyway, the Japanese have many social rules and if you ever break one, they will turn and glare at you like you are the most ill-mannered creature they have ever seen. Well, on a side note, when I just got here, I was once reprimanded really really loudly by a bus driver because I was talking on the handphone! Bus drivers here have a microphone with them, so he spoke through his mike in Japanese and really very fierely told me that I should consider the trouble I had caused to the people around me and I had better put down the phone!!! I really really didn't know I couldn't gabble away on my handphone because this is so normal in Singapore. I repented straightaway and put down the phone!



Since I am talking about buses, here are 2 picts of buses. Managed to snap one stealthily in the bus...

Yeah, so even though I really wanted to take pictures of the earthquake, I didn't.

To sum up, the visit to the museum was really good. I have never really visited museums before but now, I think I will. It's good to learn about the past and walk through history. Totally enjoyable and enriching!!

And well, I couldn't resist this pict... Came out of the musuem, and staring right at me is this...

SPIDERMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love Spiderman! It is my favourite movie!!! And Spiderman 3 is going to be released in Japan real soon!!!!

Oh yes, and I had a great time with Yong Gyong and Ok Kyung too.

ありがとうね。二人と一緒に土曜日を過ごしたことは　本当に楽しかった。また会いましょうね。