About My Great Grandfather, Akitsune Imamura, Seismologist
Update Sept 2011: His life story has been reenacted in a TV movie/documentary created by NHK for the Japanese national “Disaster Prevention Day” on September 1, 2011. Details here.
http://www.nhk.or.jp/historia/backnumber/97.html
Update March 12, 2011:
In light of what just occurred in Japan yesterday, I am re-posting the blog about my great grandfather, Akitsune Imamura, seismologist. But before I repost, here are some announcements:
1) In conjunction with NY de Volunteer, a non-profit organization in New York, we’ve started a “Send Message of Hope to Japan” page on Facebook. Please upload messages of hope in words, photos, video, music, etc. etc.
“Like” this group first before photo upload.
NY Times Article about Japan’s preparedness:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/12/world/asia/12codes.html
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This part was written back in April 16, 2010 in honor of my great grandfather.
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There have been so many earthquakes lately. (Scientists say it is “normal” to have this many earthquakes, they just happen to be in densely populated areas one after another.)
I have been thinking about my great grandfather and seismologist, Akitsune Imamura.
My grandfather, Jiro Kawase was his student, and also a seismologist…
I am not a seismologist, but I grew up listening to the legendary story of my great grandfather.
Long story short:
Akitsune Imamura was a professor of seismology at the Imperial University (now Tokyo University). Back in 1905, he predicted a major earthquake in Tokyo, and warned about the devastation it can cause in an urban area. Back then, no one took it seriously, and he was berated for causing unnecessary fear in the minds of the public.
In 1923, his prediction unfortunately became true, and the devastation was massive — more than 140,000 lives were lost in a magnitude 7.9 quake in Tokyo. For the rest of his life, he dedicated his time and resources to the prediction of earthquakes (building observatories out of his own pocket), and the prevention of secondary effect from fires and tsunamis. He was apparently one of the first scientists to suggest tsunamis were caused by the movement of the ocean’s floor due to earthquakes. Family anecdote says that he built “The First Earthquake-Proof House in Japan”. He also made sure that school children were educated about post-earthquake tsunamis by having a story about it in the their textbooks.
Reading his biography, I am inspired by his wholehearted dedication to seismology.
I hope that I can somehow carry on his legacy by making a difference in people’s lives.
Here’s the gist of his message, in layperson’s terms:
1) Turn off the stove when you feel an earthquake – Fire after an earthquake should be preventable.
2) Run to higher ground after an earthquake if you are by the coast. Don’t rebuild your village in the same spot. (Emphasis added March 31, 2011)
3) Prevention, prevention, prevention – build earthquake-proof buildings, governments should set up observatories, implement drills, be prepared, etc. etc.
4) They tend to happen in cycles – Don’t assume just because you haven’t had it in years, that you never will.
Reference:
Link to his Wikipedia page in Japanese
(thinking about translating this completely to English…the English Wiki entry does not do him justice…)
Link to his Wikipedia page in English
US Geological Survey Earthquake Site
Donate to various Earthquake relief charities:
AAR Japan:
http://www.aarjapan.gr.jp/english/
New Zealand Government:
http://www.christchurchearthquakeappeal.govt.nz/
List from Guidestar.org:
Non profits working in Haiti
Non profits working in Chile
List from Network for Good:
Non profits working in China
Non-profits working in Haiti
Non-profits working in Chile
