It is one year since that terrible earthquake and tsunami hit the North East coast of Japan, killing 19,000 people. Today people in Japan remembered this in silence at 2.46pm. New Zealanders also remembered this day. In Auckland the Japanese consul held a dinner for invited guests and the head of USAR – the Urban Search and Rescue – talked about the work they did in Japan. When the February 22nd earthquake destroyed so many buildings and killed 185 people in Christchurch, Japanese USAR arrived to help. Many Japanese English language students were killed in the Christchurch earthquake. 17 days later, New Zealand USAR went to Japan to help.
Today Christchurch remembered the Japanese earthquake with a day of Japanese culture at Riccarton park and market. There was Japanese food, music including Japanese drums and songs, traditional dance, Ikebana flower arrangements, calligraphy and other Japanese culture. Donations were collected for the Japanese Red Cross earthquake fund.
Wellington held a ceremony at the Japanese Peace Garden.
Vocabulary
Japanese consul – a diplomat. The ambassador is in Wellington but there is a consul is Auckland and Christchurch.
urban – city
calligraphy – beautiful hand-writing, done with a brush and ink