Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."

Join us as we learn Japanese and about the country through Japanese news stories.

Our headline for today is:

Quake Causes Ground Upheavals Along Noto Peninsula.

Here, "jishin" refers to

the Noto Peninsula earthquake
that occurred on January 1.

Many people died, and international residents
were among those affected.

And more than a month on, residents are still living at evacuation shelters.

It's a terrible situation.

Yes. The quake registered magnitude 7.6, flattening houses and wrecking infrastructure.

I think many of our viewers have been watching the news coverage.

With that in mind,

today we will learn expressions used
in the news to warn people of danger,

as well as phrases for how to
protect yourself in a disaster.

Now, before we listen to the news story in Japanese, let's go over some key terms.

"higai."

damage.

"teeboo."

levee or breakwater.

"dan."

step.
(of a staircase or terrace)

All right, see if you can follow along.

In the northern part of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Pref.,
which was severely damaged by the earthquake,

the seabed rose, and the land (area) expanded by
about 4.4 km² along roughly 90 km of coastline.

Experts found that

a breakwater had been uplifted by about 4 meters
at a port in the Monzenmachi district of Wajima City.

In another spot,

there was an upheaval of about 3.6 meters,
and the rocks had formed a terrace.

In northern Wajima and Suzu City,

there are places where the coastline
has three-step terraces.

The terraces are believed to have been formed
in massive earthquakes over the past 6,000 years.

An expert says,

"The Noto Peninsula was formed by
repeated seafloor uplift due to earthquakes.

We believe that something major has happened -
something that hasn't happened in thousands of years."

I imagine the changes to the coastal environment will also really affect the local ecosystem.

Fishing boats were capsized
and run aground at ports.

The fishing industry has suffered
serious damage.

OK, now let's review the following phrase from the story.

The Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture,
which was severely damaged by the earthquake

Now read along with me.

"Jishin de ookina higai o uketa

Ishikawa-ken no Noto-hantoo"

The quake generated a tsunami,
which caused great damage.

Let's start by learning some expressions
used in the news to warn people of danger.

First up is

"Hikitsuzuki yure ni chuui-shite kudasai."
(Remain on alert for (further) tremors.)

In the hours and days after a big earthquake, you want to remain on alert for any more tremors that may occur in the same area.

Next is

"Ima sugu kanoo na kagiri takai tokoro e nigeru koto."
(Evacuate immediately to the highest possible place)

When Japan's weather agency issued a Major Tsunami Warning,

NHK used phrases like this to urge people to evacuate to higher ground immediately.

"Ima sugu kanoo na kagiri takai tokoro e nigeru koto."
(Evacuate immediately to the highest possible place.)

Next expressions you should know
to protect yourself in a quake.

Listen carefully.

The first thing is...

"Shisee o hikuku shite kudasai."
(Get down low.)

"Shisee o hikuku shite kudasai."
(Get down low.)

Right, so you want to get low onto the ground, so you aren't knocked over by the shaking.

Exactly.

The next thing to keep in mind is...

"Atama o mamotte kudasai."
(Protect your head.)

"Atama o mamotte kudasai."
(Protect your head.)

Objects may fall off shelves or from the ceiling.

- Furniture may topple over.
- Yes.

Find a cushion, bag,
or other nearby item.

Cover your head like this.

And of course, it's important to remember to stay calm.

And if there's a table nearby, get underneath and hold on.

Yes.

Then...

"Yure ga osamaru made ugokanai de kudasai."
(Stay put until the shaking stops.)

"Yure ga osamaru made ugokanai de kudasai."
(Stay put until the shaking stops.)

"Yure ga osamaru made" means the same thing as "yurete iru aida."

Take cover under a desk or table
and hold onto the legs.

These are all very good expressions to know in case you ever need to give instructions during an emergency.

The earthquake on January 1st caused ground upheavals in and around the Noto Peninsula.

It dramatically transformed the coastline.

Let's take a closer look at what happened.

There are more than 2,000 known active faults throughout Japan that can cause earthquakes.

Off the Noto Peninsula's northern coast, there are several that have the potential to generate magnitude 7 class quakes.

A rapture of multiple faults across a 150-kilometer stretch is thought to be responsible for the recent major quake.

It caused ground upheavals of as much as 4 meters along roughly 90 kilometers of coastline.

What accounts for the extent of the displacement?

In this case, active faults off the northern coast
of the Noto Peninsula slipped.

The seafloor was significantly
pushed up as a result.

The uplift was large because
the slipping of the faults occurred near land.

Japan is at the convergence
of four tectonic plates.

Earthquakes can occur
anywhere at any time.

So we always need to be prepared.

Yes, so it's definitely good idea to have an emergency kit or a grab-and-go bag always ready at home.

Definately.

Now, let's say you're traveling
around Japan when a quake hits.

Let's learn some useful phrases
to know in an emergency.

First, let's say you need to evacuate to an emergency shelter but don't know where to go.

"Hinanjo wa doko desu ka?"
(Where is the emergency shelter?)

Chiara, give it a try.

Ask... "Hinanjo wa doko desu ka?"
(Where is the emergency shelter?)

Yes.

Here in Japan, municipalities have
designated emergency evacuation sites.

If you're unable to get back
to your hotel,

make your way to a shelter
that's within walking distance.

Yes. And I recommend asking at the front desk at your hotel beforehand for info on local emergency shelters.

Next, let's say your phone's battery runs out, or is draining fast.

Ask... "Juuden wa doko de dekimasu ka?"
(Where can I charge my device?)

"Juuden wa doko de dekimasu ka?"
(Where can I charge my device?)

Great.

But, what should you do if you're not feeling well?

Say... "Taichoo ga warui desu."
(I'm not feeling well.)

This is a quick way to let someone know

that you feel sick and think that
there's something wrong with you.

I see. And that's a good thing to know not just for during natural disasters,

but everyday life, when you're feeling a little under the weather.

Exactly.

And lastly, NHK WORLD-JAPAN has the latest information on the Noto earthquake on its website.

Click the "Useful Info" banner at the top of the page.

You will also find helpful disaster relief resources there.

All right, that's all for today.

- Until next time!
- See you soon.