On 16th March 2022, a 7.3 magnitude strong earthquake rocked the coast of Fukushima Prefecture. A Japanese announcer by the name of Sasaki Yoshifumi was seen on live broadcast with an improperly buttoned shirt and wet hair, having rushed out of his apartment to the news station to cover the earthquake.
Right before the earthquake off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture struck, a smaller quake with a seismic intensity of 5 was observed in the neighbouring Iwate Prefecture at 11.25pm. NHK Morioka Broadcasting Station was the first to report on the earthquake.
Appearing onscreen with an improperly buttoned shirt and wet hair with remnants of snow, announcer Sasaki Yoshifumi reported on the breaking news and shared that he was at home when the earthquake jolted Iwate Prefecture.
He urged the audience to remain calm and to “take a deep breath”, while conveying crucial information about the earthquake.
Image adapted from: @P25dem
According to this post, user @P25dem pointed out that the first broadcast was made at 11.34pm, just nine minutes after the earthquake occurred at 11.25pm.
This meant that announcer Sasaki likely frantically wore a suit, rushed out of his apartment without an umbrella, and made it to the news station in record time, hence explaining his dishevelled hair and attire.
After the broadcast went live, announcer Sasaki received an outpouring of praise from netizens on Twitter. Many were touched by his professionalism and thanked him for alleviating their anxieties in a time of crisis.
Image adapted from: @nazo_san
User @nazo_san even quipped that the earthquake seemed to have calmed down as announcer Sasaki tidied up his appearance in the subsequent broadcast, thanking him for his hard work.
Image adapted from: @musicdictionar3
User @musicdictionar3, who is from Iwate, took the chance to highlight announcer Sasaki’s outstanding talent in piano, as well as his appearances on radio programs and variety shows.
Our deepest gratitude goes to not just announcer Sasaki, but also to frontline personnel who had to get dressed and rush to work in times of crisis. We hope everyone who was affected by the earthquake is now safe and settled.
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Cover image adapted from: @nazo_san
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