At the time of Blackout

＊This article was written in 2011after 3.11*

In Kanto area, Tochigi, Ibaragi, Gunma, Chiba, Kanagawa, Tokyo, Saitama, Yamanashi, Shizuoka prefectures, the blackout (power outage) is scheduled in turns for a few hours everyday.

Areas and times are divided into 5 groups;

As for group classification, I don't have the information.
NHK broadcasts that information (in English on subchannel)

The time schedule is as follows;　6:20～10:00　／　9:20～13:00　／　12:20～16:00　/　15:20～19:00／　18:20～22:00

★計画停電検索システム  Scheduled powerdown /Sistema de verificacao sobre o racionamento da eletricidade
http://machi.userlocal.jp/teiden/　（日本語） japones
http://machi.userlocal.jp/teiden/en.php  （英語） english/ingles

Here in Okinawa, we experience blackout for long hours, even several days in succession, because of typhoon every year.
So, we are quite accustomed to it. 
Just a few hours with announcement beforehand, that will not be a big issue if you know what to do.

Please let me share my experience about what I do at the time of blackout.

First of all, Do not try to do the daily routines. 
It just makes you irritated more than needed.
If it’s a daytime and you are at home, just go out for a walk, shopping, or seeing friends.   If it is after dark, go to bed.  Take this chance of long sleep.

Refrigerator is OK even for a day only if the door is closed.  Don’t open the fridge while blackout.  Keep it closed.  Take out whatever you need beforehand.  Cook simple dishes beforehand or just eat out.

Hot water may not come while blackout.  Avoid taking showers during blackout.
The supply water might stop especially in an apartment/flat.  Fill one kettle or a deep pan with water just in case.  As for flushing toilet, fill one or two PET bottles (2L) with water and keep it in the toilet.  The tank will flush a few times even without adding.

Pull out the plugs of PC or any kind of heaters to avoid an accident when the power comes back.

Toilet without window is very dark even in the daytime.
Prepare flashlights　beforehand.  If you live with someone, you will need more than two.
Do not use candles.  They are extremely dangerous when there still remains　aftershocks.

Overall, change your mind from suffering inconvenience to excitement to experience something new.
At the time of emergency, anything can be different from ordinary.
If you get irritated or angry too much, that will deprive you of your inner power.

I hear people are buying foods as much as they can in Tokyo.
That is hardly a right thing to do if you are reasonable enough.

Try to find something to eat where you usually don’t go, for example, small shops.
Japanese people rush to the big supermarkets.  Act differently.

If you have any questions not only about the blackout but earthquakes or evacuation or whatever, please don’t hesitate to ask me.
I will try my best to find answers for you.

Please write in your questions, concerns or sorrow in 「コメント」 ↓comments.
I shall be very glad if I can be of any help to someone in need.

NHK world
Japan earthquake how to protect yourself

Link to website on information of Tohoku district - off the Pacific Ocean Earthquake (by the government)

Twitter Disaster Info in Multilanguage

click above.  They are linked to the websites

★Earthquake information/ Informacoes sobreterremoto
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=chinese  （中国語） chines
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=english　（英語） ingles
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=korean　（韓国語） coreano
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=spanish　（スペイン語） espanhol
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=portugues　（ポルトガル語） portugues
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=tagalog　（タガログ語） tagalog
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=vietnam　（ベトナム語） vietnamita
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=thai　（タイ語） tailandes
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=indonesian　（インドネシア語）indonesio

http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=easyjapanese  (やさしい日本語）
japones facil
http://eqinfojp.net/?category_name=japanese　（日本語） japones