Earthquake Memorial Held On Awaji Island


Earthquake memorial held on Awaji Island

People gathered on Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, to remember the victims of the massive earthquake that devastated Kobe on January 17, 1995.

About 50 people congregated early Monday at Hokudan Earthquake Memorial Park, which is located near the focus of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. There, a memorial cenotaph for the victims has been built, and a section of the Nojima Fault that was exposed during the quake has been preserved.

Relatives and local residents floated bamboo lanterns on the water near the cenotaph to remember the 63 Awaji residents who died in the quake.

They observed a moment of silence at 5:46 a.m., the time the quake struck. Then they sang a song about nostalgic memories of one's hometown and offered flowers.

A woman at the gathering said she is now older than her mother-in-law was when she passed away in the quake. She said attending the event reminded her that people must not forget what happened.

Park official Komeyama Masayuki says the more time passes, the more he feels the importance of handing down lessons from the quake. Komeyama says he will do this by preserving the Nojima Fault.