【Drill】Message to Residents of Shizuoka Prefecture

This is Heita Kawakatsu, Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture.

What follows is a drill.

Just now, a large earthquake occurred in Shizuoka, inflicting heavy damage throughout the prefecture. Shizuoka Prefecture and all of its constituent municipalities have established disaster response centers and are responding to the situation with their utmost effort, placing the greatest priority on saving lives. They have also contacted the national government to request emergency assistance from the Self-Defense Forces and other rescue services.

I ask all residents of Shizuoka Prefecture to focus first and foremost on securing their own safety. As tsunamis will strike repeatedly, please continue to evacuate until the evacuation order has been lifted. Please also take care to protect yourselves from aftershocks.

In addition, I ask everybody to cooperate with and assist one another. It will take time for emergency rescue services to reach those affected. In the meantime, local disaster prevention organizations and firefighting squads must assume responsibility for rescue operations and extinguishment of fires. Their services will be of particular importance for vulnerable groups such as the weak and the elderly.

The prefecture and its municipalities will continue to provide information via radio and loudspeaker broadcast. Please act calmly, do not listen to rumors, and follow the instructions of local officials and police officers. Let all of us Shizuoka residents unite and get through this unprecedented disaster together.