Quebecers living in Japan were left quite frightened during the deadly January 1 earthquake that caused panic in several regions of the country.
Pierre-Hubert Leroux lives in the city of Fukui, about 180 km from the epicenter of the powerful January 1 earthquake.
The Montrealer, who has lived in Japan since 2019, says he is used to the tremors that are “common” in that country. But this time it was different.
“It's the first time I've been afraid of an earthquake,” says the 33-year-old about the magnitude 7.6 earthquake, which, according to the latest report, killed 78 people.
A damaged road on January 4, 2024 in the city of Anamizu, Ishikawa Prefecture, where the epicenter of the earthquake was located. AFP
“When it started in my apartment I was like, Oh my God, this is serious! You curl up in a little ball, as far away from the windows as possible,” continues the man who teaches English in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Pierre-Hubert Leroux PHOTO PROVIDED BY PIERRE-HUBERT LEROUX
After about 30 seconds of shaking, he immediately grabbed his survival backpack, which authorities are advised to always have on hand in this country where natural disasters are common.
Pierre-Hubert Leroux's survival backpack, which contains, among other things, food, water and a small radio. PHOTO PROVIDED BY PIERRE-HUBERT LEROUX
“Panic” atmosphere
He pulled out his small emergency radio to listen to the first reports of what was happening.
The Japanese remember the tsunami of 2011, which claimed more than 18,000 lives in the northeast of the country. Fears of a repeat of this disaster were quickly on everyone's lips when the tsunami warning was issued.
Firefighters searched for survivors at the site of a house collapsed by the earthquake in Wajima city, also in Ishikawa Prefecture, on January 4, 2024. AFP
“They're screaming on the radio and telling us to remember that it could be as bad or even worse than 2011. Then you panic even more,” says Mr Leroux.
Fortunately, he later learned that he did not have to evacuate his house and that his town had not suffered any significant damage. However, he had to tell numerous relatives in Japan and Quebec that he was safe.
“It wasn’t any worse.”
In Tokyo, the capital, which is more than 300 km from the epicenter, Nikola LeBel felt the shock from his hotel room.
“It didn’t get any worse. There was a dresser with a small key and I saw the key swing.”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY
The Outaouais native immediately became concerned about the place where he lived, in Akita prefecture on the west coast in the north of the country.
“If we were far from home and there was a tsunami warning, I had no way of knowing what it might look like.”
He also noticed a very alarmist tone among journalists and news anchors.
“We saw them shouting in the air: Run away, remember the last tsunami.” [en 2011], do not be stupid. They really pulled out all the stops. “Perhaps this panic effect allowed us to avoid a larger number of deaths,” believes Mr. LeBel.
Since a serious accident occurred the next day between two planes at Tokyo airport, in which five people died, the two Quebecers noted that the atmosphere had been rather gloomy for several days.
“A lot of people say the year started badly. The atmosphere is a bit gloomy, especially here [à Fukui]», summarizes Mr. Leroux.