The Terror of Lifeline Failure: The Reality I Witnessed in Kobe Vol. 2

[Part 2]
What happens when the electricity goes out?
What I experienced in the darkness and information blackout of Kobe

"A power outage is just something to endure for a little while..." A power outage during a disaster is on a completely different level from the short-term outages we occasionally experience in daily life. It was a deep, long, and anxious darkness that I experienced in my apartment in Iwaya, Nada Ward, Kobe City, during the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
In this installment, I will share the specific impacts of losing electricity, incorporating my own experiences from that day.

When the electricity goes out, it's a huge problem! What I experienced in Kobe

Loss of lighting: Sudden pitch-black darkness and the terror of aftershocks

Early in the morning on January 17th, immediately after being jolted awake by violent shaking, the room went pitch black. Fortunately, the apartment building itself was sturdy and did not suffer major damage, but the electricity had cut out completely. Outside the window, it was still dark before dawn, and what was most frightening was the aftershocks that struck repeatedly in the darkness. It was a struggle just to find a flashlight, and I had no choice but to feel my way around to check if furniture had fallen or if glass had shattered. After sunset, the hallways and stairs of the apartment building were truly a darkness where you couldn't see an inch in front of you. Some houses had candles lit, but I also felt the danger of fire.
※To everyone living in Tokyo, I want you to imagine a major earthquake hitting the capital directly.

Severing of information networks
The sense of isolation from not knowing what is happening

The TV wouldn't turn on, and I couldn't find a radio right away. This was an era before mobile phones were widespread. What was happening? What was the full extent of the damage? Were my family and relatives safe? The situation of having absolutely no information coming in brought an unprecedented level of anxiety and isolation.
At the nearby Iwaya Park, news was playing from someone who had a radio. I still remember the sirens and helicopter sounds that occasionally drifted in from outside. Also, the live broadcast audio from Radio Kansai was reporting on the state of the fire in Nagata Ward, Kobe. I have provided a link below for reference.
The audio was of a family member of an injured person who was trapped in a collapsed building and unable to escape, caught in the fire.
At the time, voices of shock rose among the people who had evacuated to the park.
We learned that there were people in Nagata Ward suffering even more damage than we were.
Since Radio Kansai is familiar to Kobe locals, it was a shock.

Radio Kansai archival audio

Immediately after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, Radio Kansai (Chuo Ward, Kobe City) conducted a live broadcast from the scene of the fire in Nagata, Kobe. "I think my son is dead." The reporter is left speechless with an "Oh..." at the words of a resident who lost his eldest son. You can listen to the approximately 3-minute exchange from the preserved audio source.

During the Great East Japan Earthquake, smartphones were widespread, but there were many cases where they could not be used due to batteries dying from power outages or damage to base stations, so the difficulty of obtaining information remained a challenge.

Paralysis of communication means
Unable to even confirm safety

Landline phones were, of course, unusable. There were long lines at public phones, but it was unclear how long those would remain functional either. The desire to tell family and relatives living far away that I was safe, and to know if they were safe, further amplified the anxiety caused by the lack of information.

Total shutdown of home appliances: The inconvenience that turns daily life upside down

Refrigerator/Freezer: I thought it would be okay for a while, but as the days passed, I could tell the contents were spoiling. I had to consume them systematically so as not to waste precious food.

Heating and cooling appliances: Fortunately, it was January, but even during the day, the room was cold, and it got even colder at night. Since the gas was also out, the means to keep warm were limited.

Cooking appliances: The bento boxes received at evacuation centers and the communal meals cooked by friends evacuating in the park were our only food.

Washing machine: Of course, it couldn't be used. Even for hand-washing underwear, water was precious.

Elevators and water pumps: I wasn't on a high floor, but for those on the upper floors, going up and down the stairs seemed difficult once the elevators stopped. And what was most troublesome was the water outage. Even if the water pipes themselves were intact, water wouldn't come out without electricity. This fact might have been a blind spot for many apartment residents.
Everyone carried water tanks up the stairs to take them to their homes.

Serious impact on medical care: A crisis in unseen places
I personally did not require medical equipment, but there were hospitals in the vicinity, and I worried about how seriously the power outage was affecting medical activities.
Since ambulances could not come for a while due to traffic congestion, I understood that unnecessary driving of cars was a cause of life-threatening danger.

Paralysis of social infrastructure: The city's functions stop
Traffic lights went out, roads were severed by rubble, and cars other than emergency vehicles were almost unable to move. I witnessed the entire city losing its functions.
During the great earthquake, fire trucks, ambulances, and police officers did not come!!
I witnessed this reality.

There was a program that was close to the situation in Kobe that I felt at the time
I would like everyone to make this a personal matter

Taking 10 hours to reach the disaster area
Food and water not arriving... until relief supplies arrive
Sign language volunteers to the disaster area
Local government staff, police officers, fire department staff,
1.17 for meteorological observatory staff
Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake <Kantele NEWS>

I hope this serves as a reference
This is the situation in Kobe that I saw

※To those living in Tokyo, I want you to know this well
In a major disaster, public assistance will not come!!
They cannot reach you

The experience in Kobe made me keenly aware that electricity is not just a "convenience," but the very foundation of our safety, information, and life itself. Without electricity, water stops flowing (in the case of apartments). Information is cut off, and the night is wrapped in deep darkness. We must not forget this reality.

Next time, we will look in detail at the impact of the suspension of "gas, water, and sewage," which are essential to our lives, while also incorporating my experiences in Kobe. When these stop, how much of our "normal" will be lost?

Next time preview
[Part 3]
What if gas, water, and sewage stop? The loss of the "normal" I faced in Kobe