Learning from 'global' disasters

On March 11th, 2011 a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck the Tohoku region of Japan. A devastating disaster that shook the entire world and will now forever be etched in local history. 

The disaster claimed over 19,000 lives and devastated many towns in the Tohoku region. The worst part of this tragedy was the nuclear radiation as tsunami water entered a nuclear power plant cascading a series of secondary effects that ultimately led to exodus of 164,000 people from the Tohoku region. Over the last ten years, the population of this region has shrunk by ten percent

I did get a chance to visit the affected area a few years later, the scars of the disaster were still very visible. There were radiation effects in street-corners and on paths that school going children would undertake every day. I met local citizens and listened to animated discussions ranging from anger on the power plant and its breach of safety while also acknowledging that it was a principal source of livelihood and the local economy in general. 

Perhaps, the highlight of my visit was the visit to Ishinomaki town, to a completely flattened residential neighbourhood, where in the middle of ruins – I came across this bold and visible sign in Japanese, that literally translated as “Keep going, Ishinomaki”

The sign was put up Kenichi Kurosawa, who was one of the lucky survivors of the tsunami having clung to a tree for the entire night during the tsunami. What made him stand out as a true leader was that he realised that while rebuilding his own life, he also needs to take along his neighbours, struggling from the helplessness and sense of resignation. He gathered himself and using a whatever scrap he could find, he put together a large sign board at the very place where his house once stood. His single act inspired brought life back into his community. Hear him on his inspirations on this link

I was fortunate to have interviewed him for a recent publication – Local Leaders for Disaster Resilience that I co-authored with Vijayalakshmi. Local leaders like him have been the real force behind community rebuilding efforts after disasters. Yet, their role is often understated. With global emergencies such as the March 11th earthquake in Japan and the recent Covid-19 that affected us all – fostering local leadership and through them restoring the agency of community in dealing with risks and recovery is the way forward.