地震じしんが きました。
さいしょに することは 何なんですか。What to do in the first minute — and why the answer depends on where you are.

クイズQUIZ

建物たてものの 中なかで ゆれを 感かんじました。さいしょに することは どれですか。
You are inside a building and the shaking starts. What do you do first?

A外に 走って 出る B頭を まもる C火を 消しに 行く

えらんで ください。Tap one.

The first minute, and why the answer is not the same for everyone

In many countries, the correct response to an earthquake is to get out of the building. People are taught it as children, and it is the right answer where they live.

In Japan the usual advice is the opposite, and the reason is not that Japanese buildings are safe. Older buildings do collapse — the government says so plainly. The reason is that the street is where glass, signs and concrete walls come down.

But "stay inside" is not a rule that covers everything. If you are already outside, you move away from buildings. Near a hill, you move away from the slope. And near the coast the advice reverses completely: leave, and go up.

This is the second of four short articles. It covers the first minute — and the first night.

01ゆれて いる あいだ

ゆれて いる あいだに することは、頭あたまを まもる ことです。机つくえの 下したに 入はいります。机つくえが ないときは、かばんや 手てで 頭あたまを かくします。

While the shaking lasts, the one thing to do is protect your head. Get under a desk. With no desk, cover your head with a bag or your hands.

そのあと することは、あなたが いま どこに いるかで ちがいます。

What you do next depends on where you are.

火ひを つかって いるときは、2ふたつに 分わけて 考かんがえます。近ちかくに いて、すぐ 消けせるときは 消けします。はなれて いるときは、消けしに 行いかないで ください。火ひより、まず あなたの 頭あたまです。

If you are using a flame, think of it in two cases. If you are right beside it and can put it out at once, do so. If you are away from it, do not go back to it. Your head comes before the flame.

エレベーターの 中なかに いるときは、近ちかくの かいで とめて、すぐに 降おります。ぜんぶの ボタンを 押おすと、とまります。

If you are in a lift, stop at the nearest floor and get out straight away. Pressing every button will make it stop.

02ゆれが とまった あと

ゆれが とまったら、はじめに 足あしを まもります。地震じしんの あと、床ゆかには ガラスや 食器しょっきの かけらが おちて います。はだしで 歩あるくと、足あしを 切きります。けがを すると、逃にげることが できなく なります。

When the shaking stops, protect your feet first. After an earthquake the floor is covered in broken glass and crockery. Walking barefoot cuts your feet, and an injury makes it impossible to escape.

そのあと、ドアを 開あけます。建物たてものが ゆがむと、ドアが 開あかなく なることが あるからです。

Then open a door. A building that has shifted can leave doors jammed shut.

大おおきな 地震じしんの あとには、また ゆれます。これを 余震よしんと いいます。何日なんにちも つづく ことが あります。

After a large earthquake the ground shakes again. These are aftershocks — yoshin — and they can continue for days.

03会社かいしゃに いる とき

会社かいしゃで 地震じしんが きたら、家いえが 心配しんぱいに なります。すぐ 帰かえりたく なります。でも、大おおきな 地震じしんの あとは、電車でんしゃが とまります。道みちは 人ひとで いっぱいに なります。

If an earthquake comes while you are at work, you will worry about home and want to leave at once. But after a large earthquake the trains stop and the streets fill with people.

会社かいしゃに のこるほうが 安全あんぜんな ことが あります。あなたの 会社かいしゃの きまりを、今いまのうちに 聞きいて おくと いいです。

Staying at your workplace is sometimes the safer choice. Ask now what your company's rule is.

04自分じぶんの 身みを まもる ために

地震じしんが 起おきた とき、自分じぶんの 身みを まもる ために ひつような 知識ちしきを、じゅんばんに 整理せいりします。この 連載れんさいは 全ぜん6回かいです。
Six short articles: what to know now, what to have ready, and what to do when the ground starts moving.

1. どのくらい 多いかHOW OFTEN公開ずみPublished 1日本にほんは 地震じしんが 多おおい 国くにです How often earthquakes happen, and where
2. ゆれて いる ときWHILE IT SHAKES 2地震じしんが きました。さいしょに することは 何なんですか The first minute — and why the answer depends on where you are
3. 起きる まえBEFORE IT HAPPENS公開ずみPublished 3家いえと 職場しょくばの じゅんび What to sort out first, and what to ask your employer
4. 起きた あとAFTER IT STOPSじゅんび中Coming soon 4地震じしんの あとで、こころが つかれます What almost everyone feels afterwards, and where to get help
5. じょうほうINFORMATIONじゅんび中Coming soon 5警報けいほうと 情報じょうほうの 読よみかた How to read the alerts, and where to look for information

05英語えいごで よむ

Inside a building

• Protect your head first — under a desk, or with a bag or your hands.
• Do not run outside while it is shaking. The street is where glass, signs and walls come down.
• This is not because buildings here are safe. Older buildings do collapse.

Everywhere else, the answer changes

• Already outside: move away from buildings, walls and vending machines.
• Near a hill or cliff: move away from the slope.
• In a shop or station: follow the staff, and do not rush the exits.
• Near the coast: leave and go up. Do not wait for a warning. Later waves can be higher.

After it stops, and at work

• Slippers within reach of your bed. Broken glass on the floor is what stops people moving.
• Open a door — a distorted frame can jam it shut.
• Aftershocks continue for days.
• Going home immediately is not always safest. Ask your company now what it expects.

The rest of this series

This is the second of four. The first covers how often earthquakes happen here and where. The next two are being written now:

• Before — what to arrange at home and at work, and what to ask your employer.
• After — how to read the alerts, and where to look for information.

Each one is written in plain Japanese with furigana, and in English, like this one.

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