Turning Disaster into Security
Sometimes it feels like Fate has all but taken pleasure in testing mankind, throwing disaster after disaster at us simply to see if we have what it takes to survive. But, with hope, love, and hard work, it often turns out that we can prevail, and turn even the most monumental disasters into nothing more than a bump in the road.
One of the most tested countries in the world, when it comes to disaster, has got to be Japan. Home to the Ring of Fire, Japan has been hit for centuries by devastating earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, floods and volcanic eruptions. Thousands of lives have been lost during these times, and millions of people have at one time or another been forced from their homes. Yet, through all this disaster, Japan has come out victorious and grown even stronger.
Take, for example, the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. This magnitude 7.3 earthquake, centred in the southern part of Hyogo Prefecture near Kobe, struck on the morning of January 17th, and exacted immense loss of life and property damage. In total over 6,000 people were killed, over 200,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged, and around 7,000 roads and bridges were affected. The damage was estimated to be in the trillions of yen, but within weeks of the disaster people had already started to work on rebuilding their lives.
The people of Kobe and the surrounding areas banded together and started cleaning up the damage and salvaging whatever possessions they could from the rubble. Bulletins and messages of support were broadcast on all channels and donations filled the coffers of the victims. Governments passed legislations offering aid to the people and companies started providing financial funds, while NPOs, NGOs and volunteers operated to help in the recovery efforts.
In the years after the disaster, reconstruction and rehabilitation have been swift and thorough. People of all age groups and social classes have worked together to restore the city and help their neighbors. Organizations have been set up to help people who had been affected by the disaster, and many of those who had been forced to evacuate their homes, have been able to return to them. The people of Kobe have come together in a united front to rise from the disaster and reclaim their city.
It is stories like these that give us hope, that despite the obstacles, we as human beings can survive and move forward even in the face of disaster. We can remember that there is still hope, even in the darkest of times, and that we are all part of something far greater than ourselves. Each of us has an obligation to help those in need and contribute to the communities we call home. By working together, we can not only survive, but also thrive and turn disaster into security.
