JAPAN: 86-year-old Teru Suzuki recounts how she survived three earthquakes, including one that took the life of her son
Record ID:
464940
JAPAN: 86-year-old Teru Suzuki recounts how she survived three earthquakes, including one that took the life of her son
- Title: JAPAN: 86-year-old Teru Suzuki recounts how she survived three earthquakes, including one that took the life of her son
- Date: 21st March 2011
- Summary: OFUNATO CITY, IWATE PREFECTURE, JAPAN (MARCH 20, 2011) (REUTERS) HOUSE WHERE 86-YEAR-OLD TERU SUZUKI WAS WHEN TSUAMI STRUCK SUZUKI CLEANING WINDOWS OF HOUSE VARIOUS OF SUZUKI CLEANING UP HOUSE SUZUKI HOLDING PICTURE OF SON WHO WAS KILLED BY 1960 CHILEAN TSUNAMI PICTURE OF SON WHO PASSED AWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 86-YEAR-OLD TRIPLE EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR TERU SUZUKI SAYING: "When the May 24th Chili tsunami struck, the water came to the road just next to this one . My oldest son was down in the city at the time at the motorcycle shop." SUZUKI'S EYES WHILE TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 86-YEAR-OLD TRIPLE EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR TERU SUZUKI SAYING: "The earthquake this time was big and long. The wave also came as a mountain of water." SUZUKI'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 86-YEAR-OLD TRIPLE EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR TERU SUZUKI SAYING: "Over here there are 3 dead, and then another 2 dead beside that, with 7 dead total in this area. So even though I'm this age, I still managed to survive. All I can think to call it is destiny." SUZUKI CLEANING UP DISHES IN FRONT OF HOUSE MORE OF SUZUKI CLEANING DISHES DESTROYED DOWNTOWN OOFUNATO PEOPLE WALKING DOWN DESTROYED STREET DESTROYED STREET AND PLAQUE THAT SHOWS WHERE TSUNAMI CAME DURING THE 1960 CHILEAN TSUNAMI PLAQUE THAT READS IN JAPANESE "MAY 25, 1960 CHILEAN TSUNAMI HIGHEST WATER POINT" PEOPLE WALKING BY DESTROYED SIGN THAT READS IN JAPANESE AND ENGLISH "TSUNAMI EVACUATION"
- Embargoed: 5th April 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan, Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVAC2J2BYNVSERFOWL6KBGSJKRWN
- Story Text: Amidst the destruction of Japan's massive quake and subsequent tsunami, 86-year-old Teru Suzuki recounted how she managed to survive not only this quake, but two others including one that took the life of her son.
Suzuki lives in the city of Ofunato, where about a quarter of the houses in this city of 42,000 were destroyed.
The water reached the second floor of her house, and devastated buildings closer to the port while throwing boats into structures like toys.
The city however has had experience with tsunamis before. The tsunami from the 9.6 magnitude 1960 Chilean earthquake causing major damage to lower lying areas and washing away Suzuki's son.
"When the May 24th Chili Tsunami struck, the water came to the road just next to this one. My oldest son was down in the city at the time at the motorcycle shop." Suzuki said.
When the wave struck in 1960, 138 people were killed.
Suzuki also survived a quake in 1933 that caused a massive tsunami which swept through the area of Ofunato and killed over 3,000 people.
Suzuki said the recent earthquake and tsunami were the largest she'd ever lived through.
"The earthquake this time was big, and long. The wave also came as a mountain of water," Suzuki said.
When asked how she managed to survive three of Japan's biggest quakes, Suzuki said that must be her destiny.
"Over here there are 3 dead, and then another 2 dead beside that, with 7 dead total in this area. So even though I'm this age, I still managed to survive. All I can think to call it is destiny," Suzuki said.
When asked about cleaning up her house from the damage, Suzuki joked that "there's too much work to do for me to die now."
Some 390,000 people, including many among Japan's aging population, are homeless and battling near-freezing temperatures in shelters in northeastern coastal areas. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None