2012年11月3日土曜日

Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and Superstorms?!?

Superstorm Sandy has wreaked havoc on the East Coast and the images I've seen are devastating. For me, Sandy is yet another natural disaster hitting one of the places I have called "home."

スーパーハリケーン「サンディー」でアメリカの東海岸は酷く被害しています。私が写真を見て驚きました。私にとってサンディーは、また私のふるさとの一つを壊した嵐です。

When I was 9, a category 4 hurricane hit the island I lived on at the time. The house we were in was strong and we were very lucky to escape the total devastation that spread across the rest of the island. We also had plenty of water and food to take us through the weeks without power. My parents and their friends drove around the day after the storm and took video. My "mother" and I returned to the US soon after until conditions got better there. 

私が9才の時に、カテゴリー4のハリケーンが私の住んでたところに来ました。私たちは運よく強い家に住んでたため被害はなかったんです。そして水や食べ物がいっぱいあったので何週間の停電も乗り越えました。ハリケーンが去った翌日、両親と友達はカメラを持って島を観光気分でめぐってビデオを取りました。それから私と母が状況がよくなるまでアメリカに戻りました。

Then last year, on March 11th, I experienced the Kanto-Tohoku earthquake that generated a tsunami big enough to wipe out entire towns, change coastlines, and cripple a nuclear plant. My parents called me every day trying to convince me to leave, but my husband and I could not fathom leaving our home in a time of crisis. We stayed and donated money, did fundraising, and when fall came, we donated our warm winter clothes and electric blankets to the temporary residences. 

そして去年3月11日に東北大震災があって、町が丸ごとなくなったり、海岸の形がかわったり、そして原発まで壊れたりするほとの大津波がきました。両親は毎日電話して私にアメリカに帰るように説得はしてたが、私とやすしはこんな非常実態になってる私たちのふるさとを簡単に去って行くことはできなかったんです。日本にいて、寄付したり、募金集めしたり、そして秋が来たら私たちの冬服や電気毛布などを仮設住宅に送りました。

And here in Oahu, I have experienced both an earthquake that resulted in over 12 hours without electricity on most of the island, and just last Saturday, a tsunami warning that was serious enough to shut down most of Waikiki and send people in my neighborhood to higher ground. 

そしてオアフ島で12時期間の停電を起こした地震と、この前の土曜日に、ワイキキと私の住んでる町の人が避難したほどの津波警報がでました。

In all these situations, one thing I have learned is not to think that it "won't happen to me," and to always have enough supplies for an emergency. 

こんな状況を経験した上、私が学んだことは、「私たちにこない」と考え込まないことと、非常用品を必ず持つことです。

In America it's not as much of an issue because many people buy in bulk to save money, and canned goods are a normal thing to have in one's pantry. (However, sometimes people forget to periodically check their cabinets and use things before the expiration date and replace them, so a bit of maintenance is required for this) People usually have some kind of grill for their summer barbecues that come in handy during a power outage too. 

アメリカでは、一般の人は節約するために日常の生活用品を大量にまとめ買いします。そして缶詰の食べ物も一般のキッチンに入っています。(しかし何年チェックしないで賞味期限切れてそのまま持ってる人もいます)そして一般の人はバーベキューが好きでグリルを持ってて、停電の時に役に立ちます。

In Japan, space is limited so many people do not store extra toilet paper, canned/dried food, bottled water, etc. in their house, which led to the panic buying situation in spring of 2011. With Tokyo residents already experiencing one crisis in the past year, and scientists constantly saying how Tokyo is overdue for their big earthquake, it is more important than ever to be prepared.

日本では部屋が狭いので一般の人はトイレットペーパー、缶詰、ボトルの水、などを余裕に持たないので、2011の震災後パニック買いだめしました。東京の人は去年震災があって、これからまた大震災が来る可能性は高いと言われていますので、準備することが凄く大事です!

In your house, you should have at least 2-3 days worth of basic supplies, such as canned/dried food and water, toilet paper and wet wipes, and other essentials such as some extra blankets, a portable gas stove or a grill, and a battery/manual powered flashlight and radio. 
It's also good to prepare an emergency bag in case you have to evacuate. In one bag, you should put (for 1 person)
2 liters of water
a bag of biscuits, a bag of hard candy, and some canned or instant food
2 packs of wet wipes
1 blanket
1 battery/manual powered flashlight and radio
1 pocket knife
 1 or 2 changes of clothes
a small amount of cash and photocopies of ID and other important documents. 
Having a bag already set up will make any evacuation easier and give you more time to gather precious items and your every day items with less panic.

自分の家に2−3日分のインスタント食品、トイレットペーパー、ウェットティッシュなどの日常用品と、毛布、ガスコンロ、電灯とラジオなどを準備した方がいいです。
あと避難しなきゃいけない場合の非常用持出袋を用意した方がいいです。一人のバッグにこういうもの入れるといいです。
水2L
あめ1袋、カンパンかビスケット一袋、インスタント食品など
ウェットティッシュ2パック
毛布1枚
電灯/ラジオ
ナイフ
着替え1−2枚
現金(小銭)とIDや大事な書類のコピー

こういうバッグを用意しておくと、避難する場合は少しでも焦らないで貴重品などももっていけるのかもしれないんですね。

Also, as if there weren't enough good reasons to breastfeed, when we evacuated because of the tsunami warning, I didn't have to worry about bottles or formula or anything, I just put a pack of diapers and wipes in the car. In America, there are many mothers who don't breastfeed because of some social stigma, because formula companies tell them things like it's more convenient, and hospitals push formula on newborns. Even in Japan, more and more mothers are supplementing with formula and decreasing their own supply. 
It would be so much better if more mothers breastfed and wet-nursed in times of crisis instead of turning to formula (which is actually more dangerous than wet-nursing because of lack of clean water and facilities to properly sanitize bottles in times of disaster.)

完全母乳にするのは健康の面や色々理由がいくつもあるんですけど、私たちは津波警報で避難した時、私は粉ミルクやボトルの心配一切しないで済みました。オムツと毛布だけ車に入れました。アメリカでは社会的烙印や、粉ミルクの会社の干渉など色んな理由で母乳育ちをしません。最近日本でも母乳でたりないと思い込んで粉ミルクを使うお母さんが増えています。特にこういう非常実態なら、清潔な水やボトルなどが必要な粉ミルクより母乳を飲ませたらいいと思います。

With it getting colder I hope everyone in the areas ravaged by Sandy are keeping warm by bundling up and drinking warm drinks whenever possible. When I was in Japan, we only had a small gas heater in the living room, and I wore thick padded room jackets inside and usually had some hot water in the kitchen for tea (and a thermos for when I went outside). When my parents came to visit me in Japan my "mother" relentlessly complained about how cold our apartment was, so I wonder how they are dealing with their power and heat being off for over 3 days now.

今段々寒くなって来てるでしょうが、Sandyの被災地で皆さんちゃんと暖かい格好をして暖かい飲み物いっぱい飲んで寒さを耐えてるかな。私は日本に住んでた時リビングに小さいヒーターしかなかったため私はルームコート着て、よくお茶を飲んでました。でも両親が日本の部屋に来た時母が寒いとずっと愚痴言ってた。。3日以上の停電どう耐えてるのかな。。。

Anyway, my thoughts are with all the victims. I will do what I can to help from here in Hawaii. 

4 件のコメント:

  1. One should ALWAYS be prepared. You never know what life or Nature has in store for you.

    I read an article in The Guardian yesterday, about a mother in the überpoor Haiti giving birth during Sandy, and wondering what she would do to feed her newborn and herself. I could only shake my head. "Your baby just needs your milk".

    I found the article: "Aftermath of hurricane Sandy leaves Haiti facing new disaster".

    As I side note:

    I've watched your last videos and I love how chubby Chinami is. She is really thriving and smiling all the time. You're doing a great job, congratulations.

    返信削除
    返信
    1. Thank you! I read the article...very shocking, and I cannot believe that in all of their 24 hour coverage they never mentioned such conditions in Haiti.
      In Haiti there are still a lot of old wives tales and misconceptions all around...mothers are told their milk is "bad" (usually due to some spiritual/supernatural belief) so they let the baby starve because they can't afford formula.

      削除
  2. My boyfriend and I just recently started stocking up on food and emergency supplies for when the next big earthquake hits Tokyo. I'm terrified every time I think about it, and hope we'll be alright. I don't really want to move back to America, but just knowing that it's looming ahead scares me...

    返信削除
    返信
    1. I don't think you should be terrified, just stay informed and prepared for the worst at all times.

      削除