Disasters and safety

Japan prepares for disasters as part of ordinary life, and these are the words of public notices, school drills and news bulletins. Watch the kanji 被(ひ), "to suffer": 被害(ひがい) is damage, 被災(ひさい) being hit by a disaster, 被災地(ひさいち) the area that was hit. Warnings come in steps — an advisory, 注意報(ちゅういほう), below a warning, 警報(けいほう) — and knowing which one has been issued tells you whether to get ready or to leave.