YATSUSHIRO, KUMAMOTO PREF. – A community radio station in Kumamoto Prefecture, which was struck by a powerful earthquake last month, is continuing to deliver vital information to local residents. Staff members at the radio station in the city of Yatsushiro were forced to evacuate during a live broadcast because of the July 28 earthquake, but resumed operations the following day. Yukiko Yamada, 46, a radio personality at FM Yatsushiro, urged listeners to ensure their safety while broadcasting live from the station inside the city office.
The powerful tremor knocked down shelves and scattered broken glass. The seismic isolation device at the city office was also damaged, forcing the station to close on a temporary basis. Yamada was also among staff members who had to evacuate outside.
She said she felt frustrated at not being able to broadcast, as she believes that “the mission of radio is to provide disaster information.” She continued the live broadcast until just before evacuating, even while worrying about her parents, who live in Hikawa, a neighboring town hit hard by the earthquake. Afterward, she was able to contact her parents by phone and confirmed their safety. She returned to the microphone the day after the earthquake and has been striving to create programs that “stay close to the hearts of affected people.” The station suspended its regular programming immediately after the earthquake and instead focused on broadcasting disaster-related information.
The station continues to provide useful information to affected people, including warnings about economy class syndrome and heatstroke prevention measures. It also features classical music and songs by the late Yatsushiro-native singer Aki Yashiro. The station currently broadcasts live daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with about five staff members.
Nonetheless, she expressed her commitment to continuing her work, saying, “We want to continue providing information for the people of Yatsushiro.”
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