災害ボラ3日目　Disaster Relief Volunteer Day 3

今日は水害を受けた平家から仮設住宅へと移る女性の引越しのお手伝いをしました。発災時に寝ていたが、自分の周りの畳が濡れているのに気づき、押し入れの上段に避難。どんどん水位が上がり、畳ごと浮きあがってきた。このエリアでは膝上ぐらいまでしか水位が上がらなかったため、押し入れの上段でなんとか水を凌ぐことができた。
Today I helped a woman whose house was flooded move to a temporary housing unit. At the time the time, she was asleep and woke to find that she was surrounded by water. The water level kept rising and the tatami mats laid out on the floor started to float and rise with the water. Luckily the water only rose to knee-level and she was able to find refuge on the top shelf of her closet.

次の朝まで水は引かなかった。暗くなってからは身動きが取れず、一晩水に囲まれ、寒くて濡れている状態で過ごした。
The water didn’t subside until the next morning. After dark it was no longer safe to move around so she spent a wet and cold night alone in her closet.

その後は水が引いたのもあり、被災された女性は同じ家に暮らし続けていた。浸水により家のあちこちが被害を受け、衣服やふとんもしけてしまっていた。浸水した床の上に段ボールベッドを敷き、そこで寝ていたが体が痛くてなかなかゆっくり休めず。
After the water subsided, she continued to live in this house. Of course the water damaged the entire house and her clothing and bedding were still moist. She received a cardboard bed which she slept on, although it was hard and painful to sleep on.

仮設住宅で暮らせるということが決まってからも今日まで引っ越せていなかった。膝を傷めているため長い距離を歩くことができず、車もないのでなかなか引っ越すことができません。
Even after temporarily housing was made available to her, she wasn’t able to move until today. She has knee pains which means she can’t walk long distances, and without a car moving was quite a challenge.

引越し先はもともと住んでいた地域から30分ほど離れた場所。知り合いもいなく、電話もまだ使えず、徒歩圏内に何もない。今日は手続きが間に合わなかったため、お湯も使えない。
Her new home is located about 30 minutes away from where she lived until today. She doesn’t know anyone in this new area, her phone doesn’t work yet, and there’s nothing within walking distance from her apartment. Today she doesn’t have any hot water running in her home.

東日本大震災につぎ2度目の被災となった。今日から暮らすお家でたくさん休んで欲しい。被災された方は私には想像できない苦しみや悲しみを経験している。その中でも、弱い立場に置かれている人のニーズに気づき、支援していく重要性を感じた日となった。
This was her first time surviving a large natural disaster; the first being the Great East Japan Earthquake. I hope she’s able to rest in her new home. I will never be able to imagine the immeasurable suffering and sadness that many people go through when a natural disaster strikes. At times like this, its more important than ever to make sure people with smaller voices are heard and not forgotten.