DISASTER
Blizzard
Earthquake
EARTHQUAKE
What is it?
Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, so shaking can happen at any time. It can make it hard to stand or move safely.
While the shaking continues
- Drop, cover, and hold on. Get under a sturdy table and protect your head and neck.
- Don't use elevators.
- Outdoors: move away from buildings, walls, and power lines, and cover your head.
When the shaking stops
- Check yourself and people nearby for injuries.
- Put on shoes — there may be broken glass.
- Open a door to keep an exit, and expect aftershocks.
During or after an earthquake in Hokkaido, you may experience:
- Trains and subways stopping, and airport delays or closures.
- Water outages and mobile networks becoming hard to use.
- Falling objects, broken glass, and furniture tipping over indoors.
SHAKING LEVELS
Shindo 1-2
→ No action needed. Stay calm.
Slight
Shaking
Shaking
Shindo 3-4
→ Get ready. Move from
windows & shelves
Clearly
Felt
Felt
Shindo 5
→ Drop, cover, hold on
Hard to
walk
Things fall
walk
Things fall
Shindo 6-7
→ Protect your head,
then evacuate
Can't
Stand
Stand
Near the coast?
There's more you need to know.
There's more you need to know.
Near the coast?
There's more you need to know.
There's more you need to know.
TSUNAMI
What is it?
A tsunami is a series of powerful waves caused by an earthquake under the sea. It can arrive within minutes, so if you feel strong shaking near the coast, move to high ground right away.
- If you are near the coast and feel strong shaking, or long slow shaking, go to high ground immediately.
- Don't wait for a warning, and don't go to check the sea.
- Go as high and as far inland as you can, on foot — roads may be blocked.
- Stay high. Waves come again and again, and the first is often not the largest.
If an earthquake triggers a tsunami near the coast, you may experience:
- Powerful waves that reach the shore within minutes of the shaking.
- Water that rushes far inland, well beyond normal beaches and rivers.
- Strong currents that make it impossible to stand or swim.
