The 2011 Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake: A Report from a Deaf Japanese Clinical Psychologist
Friday, March 11
Went to Sendai on the train from Tokyo to meet M, who is another deaf researcher. First shake at 2:46pm. Electricity, gas, and water stopped automatically. Could use Twitter but email was not possible with my iPhone. We watched TV with the car navigation system in M’s car, but neither of us could hear, so we missed all initial announcements about the earthquake. They showed Sendai station but it looked like there was little damage, so we were not terribly concerned initially. M and I talked and thought that it would be best for me to find a hotel to stay. M left in his car.
Couldn’t find any hotel to stay at. Went back to the station but the entrances were closed. I wrote “I’m Deaf, what is going on?” on a piece of paper and showed it to a station staff member. He only tried to speak to me, pointing somewhere for me to go. It turned out to be a hotel lobby. The hotel staff directed everyone to an underground shopping area, which is where I spent the first night. An hour later the hotel staff came back with water and snack. People were lining up to use the public pay phones. In Japan, there is an emergency voicemail service provided by the phone company. They might have been using it, but this system was of no use for a deaf person. No iPhone connection. No Twitter, no email…no information. It was a dark and scary night.
Saturday, March 12
Tossing and turning all night. Used the public bathroom, but no water to wash my face. In the morning the hotel staff came back with newspapers. Was utterly shocked to find out what had really happened. Around 7am, the staff was saying something to people. I wrote, “I’m Deaf. I don’t understand what’s going on. What happened to the Shinkansen (bullet train)?” He wrote, “no train, no highway bus service. We will take you to a shelter. You can get information and food there.”
The shelter was an elementary school gymnasium. Still no iPhone connection. No fax, no Internet connection, or no public phones at the shelter. There was a person walking around, holding a drawing book which read, “Is there anyone who can’t hear?” She was a hearing person who could sign. It was a great relief to be able to communicate with someone. She left and came back with blankets and towels.
There seemed to be numerous announcements in the shelter based on people’s reactions, but I had no idea about what they were. I wrote, “I’m deaf. Please write what the announcements were about.” and showed it to the shelter staff but the staff gave me no information. Did not understand anything. I was so upset and scared that I cried. Brochures were available in five different languages, but no information or services for the deaf or handicapped.
Sunday, March 13
iPhone finally started working. Tweeted a lot about what I was going through. People were gathering, so I went to see what was going on. They were charging their phones. Wished they had posted such information on the wall. People gathered to do casual cleaning of the shelter. Seemed that there had been an announcement about the cleaning, which I couldn’t hear. I looked around and did what they were doing. I felt like a monkey imitating the actions of others. I did not feel comfortable. Got hold of M by email. M’s father drove us to his house in Yamagata, where I stayed for two nights. As I went to sleep, I noticed that I did not remove my hearing aids or glasses since Friday. I guess I was so scared about not having access to information.
Thought about the deaf/handicapped who do not use email or Twitter. When people do not respond to our continual requests to write down important information, we eventually lose motivation to try to act independently to take care of ourselves. I wonder if people realize this.
Tuesday, March 15
Flew back to Tokyo from Yamagata. So relieved to see Tokyo from the window. Remembered about the earthquake and cried again.
【English translation : Kazumi Matsuoka and John Helwig】
My friends translated for me and Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. Thank you for Kazumi Matsuoka and John Helwig.
Friday, March 11
Went to Sendai on the train from Tokyo to meet M, who is another deaf researcher. First shake at 2:46pm. Electricity, gas, and water stopped automatically. Could use Twitter but email was not possible with my iPhone. We watched TV with the car navigation system in M’s car, but neither of us could hear, so we missed all initial announcements about the earthquake. They showed Sendai station but it looked like there was little damage, so we were not terribly concerned initially. M and I talked and thought that it would be best for me to find a hotel to stay. M left in his car.
Couldn’t find any hotel to stay at. Went back to the station but the entrances were closed. I wrote “I’m Deaf, what is going on?” on a piece of paper and showed it to a station staff member. He only tried to speak to me, pointing somewhere for me to go. It turned out to be a hotel lobby. The hotel staff directed everyone to an underground shopping area, which is where I spent the first night. An hour later the hotel staff came back with water and snack. People were lining up to use the public pay phones. In Japan, there is an emergency voicemail service provided by the phone company. They might have been using it, but this system was of no use for a deaf person. No iPhone connection. No Twitter, no email…no information. It was a dark and scary night.
Saturday, March 12
Tossing and turning all night. Used the public bathroom, but no water to wash my face. In the morning the hotel staff came back with newspapers. Was utterly shocked to find out what had really happened. Around 7am, the staff was saying something to people. I wrote, “I’m Deaf. I don’t understand what’s going on. What happened to the Shinkansen (bullet train)?” He wrote, “no train, no highway bus service. We will take you to a shelter. You can get information and food there.”
The shelter was an elementary school gymnasium. Still no iPhone connection. No fax, no Internet connection, or no public phones at the shelter. There was a person walking around, holding a drawing book which read, “Is there anyone who can’t hear?” She was a hearing person who could sign. It was a great relief to be able to communicate with someone. She left and came back with blankets and towels.
There seemed to be numerous announcements in the shelter based on people’s reactions, but I had no idea about what they were. I wrote, “I’m deaf. Please write what the announcements were about.” and showed it to the shelter staff but the staff gave me no information. Did not understand anything. I was so upset and scared that I cried. Brochures were available in five different languages, but no information or services for the deaf or handicapped.
Sunday, March 13
iPhone finally started working. Tweeted a lot about what I was going through. People were gathering, so I went to see what was going on. They were charging their phones. Wished they had posted such information on the wall. People gathered to do casual cleaning of the shelter. Seemed that there had been an announcement about the cleaning, which I couldn’t hear. I looked around and did what they were doing. I felt like a monkey imitating the actions of others. I did not feel comfortable. Got hold of M by email. M’s father drove us to his house in Yamagata, where I stayed for two nights. As I went to sleep, I noticed that I did not remove my hearing aids or glasses since Friday. I guess I was so scared about not having access to information.
Thought about the deaf/handicapped who do not use email or Twitter. When people do not respond to our continual requests to write down important information, we eventually lose motivation to try to act independently to take care of ourselves. I wonder if people realize this.
Tuesday, March 15
Flew back to Tokyo from Yamagata. So relieved to see Tokyo from the window. Remembered about the earthquake and cried again.
【English translation : Kazumi Matsuoka and John Helwig】
My friends translated for me and Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. Thank you for Kazumi Matsuoka and John Helwig.