誰かが言わなきゃならない

1. Population density lowered?

Population in the Big Palette seems slightly reduced these days. Pathways became slightly wider. Some people are moving from the terrace area on the first floor to better places on the ground floor. People on the ground floor are moving to a better place in the same hall, too.
The most popular space is near the electricity plugs. They can use kettles, or see a mobile private TV. Cold space, too bright or too dark places are hated.
“Why people left the Big Palette and whereto” is not known clearly. Did they move to a hotel or ryokan? Did they rent their own apartment? Obviously, few people moved to the town-rented houses. Kids and children remaining here are still many. Could it be because some extra spaces on the ground floor were newly opened for use? Not clearly known why.
Some “cardboard partitions” on the first-floor terrace elevated their wall height, especially at colder areas near the glass windows. The inside of the partitions is completely out of sight from outside. You will feel there as if you walk through corridors. There are some people who change nothing from the very beginning, one month ago. Aged people seem indifferent to outsiders, other people’s eyes or passers-by.

2. Posters

A lot of posters/messages are on the corridor walls at the back entrance. Similar ones are on the stair walls to upper floors. This place is the best “information center” in the building: the free public telephone corner, the free internet desk, a comic library, flyers and pamphlets. Official notifications from the town office and the prefecture, support options, volunteers’event schedules, etc. are recently classified for easy identifications. There are almost no more messages for safety confirmation.

3. A sense of self-composure

Somebody placed pots of tulip flowers in front of two big TV monitors, cherry twigs too. On the ground floor corridor, some flowers existed from early days. Flowers really impact the mentality of people. Food support is certainly important, but flowers are also welcome. Bread or omusubi are still the base of meals, and side dishes or vegetables are insufficient.
The catering system is not even designed yet. The people in a line for omusubi or water do not look so frantic as before. Walking speeds became gentler. Washings on the handrails or stairs for dry will disappear gradually, as the washing machines and dryers are now available in the building. The atmosphere of the Big Palette will change.
Somebody put a big cherry photo on the wall. It was taken in Tomioka-cho, where nobody is now for evacuation. Such a photo could be never seen. Usually, the streets with cherry flowers are full of sightseeing buses and visitors. Nobody is there this year. Donations or compensation money are not distributed yet, but when provided, the people will certainly be enriched with a sense of self-composure.

4. Working volunteers at night for sorting the commodities

After 7:00 o’clock p.m. the surrounding of the Big Palette is quiet with no running cars. Any places are in the darkness, except where mercury lamps light. A group of people were busy doing things. They downloaded the parcels
from a truck, unpacked and sorted things taken out. The truck brought in mountains of clothing. They are sorted and folded back for men and women.
If this kind of sorting is not done during the night, the morning would be chaotic as in the discount sale of a department. The group was about 10 volunteers. They were quietly working in the chilly atmosphere.
Thank you.

5. Road damage by the Earthquakes

The earthquake shook Koriyama-city, too, leaving damage. Most old houses lost their roof tiles. This explains the earthquake shook the city as violent as it hit Tomioka-cho. Most roads are ok for traffic, but the critical bridge Asaka Bridge could not be used till yesterday. Most other bridges themselves were ok, but here and there ramps were created at their ends with the connecting roads since the roads sank.
The running repairs by asphalt are done for these ramps, but the car speeds must be controlled to avoid shocks. House repairs are delayed, because repair materials are in shortage. Rent-houses are on the market under the condition
that damage will be duly repaired. In Tomioka-cho, too, after the March 11 earthquake, there were: maintenance hatches (manholes) standing above the ground due because the roads sank; dips due to road depressions; collapsed guardrails; leaning power poles with traffic signals, etc.
These were provisionally repaired immediately and danger markings were made where necessary. They helped the accident prevention for next day evacuation. The problem was with no traffic lights, the traffic at night was very dangerous. Danger markings with solar-powered lights should be fixed for future.