
Shaken Beliefs: Seismic Lessons from Japan’s Tohoku Earthquake - Thevet
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/shaken-beliefs-seismic-lessons-from-japans-tohoku-earthquake
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lovemenot
I wonder what kind of person could have felt _that_ quake, at closer proximity
than I felt it in Tokyo, heard the sirens, been exposed to tsunami risk yet
_still_ ignored warnings because data were underreported. Contrary to the
article, I suspect more accurate on time warnings would not have altered
behaviors significantly.

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mikekchar
I was in Shizuoka prefecture (another 200km away than you). I remember talking
to my colleague and casually asking where the epicenter was. "Tohoku", was the
reply. My jaw dropped because I knew what that meant. You don't feel Tohoku
earthquakes in Shizuoka.

I stayed at work until 2am that day because my supervisor would not let me go
home until the all clear was given for tsunami. Where I lived, I think we got
a 30 cm swell. In contrast, I heard the bad news that one of the people on the
same teaching programme I was in had died. She lived in the affected area and
went home to check on her apartment in the 17 minutes between when the
earthquake hit and the tsunami struck. Had she stayed at work, she would have
survived.

Why was there a difference between the actions of my supervisor and hers? I
live in Shizuoka which is 50 years overdue for the Tokai earthquake. It has
been said that there is an 85% likelihood that it will hit in my lifetime. I
also live in one of the most dangerous areas (on the western coast of Suruga
bay). Everybody knows that a devastating earthquake will hit and there is
constant training. This is key.

I think you are absolutely correct. Warnings are useful to an extent. However,
training is critical. My supervisor had absolutely no qualms about keeping me
at work (which is also the designated evacuation center for the area) simply
because this was obviously a very unusual event. Nobody really expected a
tsunami of any size to hit Suruga bay, but it didn't matter. I could go on for
quite a long time about the training that we get here because of the impending
Tokai earthquake.

On of the good things to come out of the Tohoku disaster is that I have heard
that similar training measures have been taken up by the whole country.

~~~
Gibbon1
> However, training is critical.

After the Great Alaska quake of 1964 two people died in Crescent City. After
the first wave hit they went back to check on things and then got caught by a
second wave.

Crescent City, CA is 2400km from Anchorage AK.

