"The Moment of Explosion in Train, Hiroshima Station""75 Years Atomic Bomb" DAY2/50 Dr.SOKO

Experience of the instance of Explosion, in Train, shielded by Hiroshima Station Building 

If you were exposed to radiation at a point of 2.0km from the ground zero, how was your life like?

Today, I talk about my aunt's story, who was exposed in Hiroshima station at a point of 1.9km from the ground zero. 

In Hiroshima station

Nobuko lived with her blind grand-mother, near Dobashi Tram-station, 850m from the Ground Zero.In that morning of August 6th, Nobuko felt sleepy because air-raid alarms were give twice in the midnight.

Nobuko was going to school in Kure, but not for studying, but for working to sewing uniforms of the Navy.

Nobuko was in the train, 1.9km from Ground Zero. In trains, box-sheets for four persons were located on both sides on the middle  aisle. Windows were opened but people cannot see outside, because wooden window shades were closed.There was a military port near Kure, so window blinds must be shut to protect military information.

Train wheels slowly started to move. 

At that moment of 8:15AM August 6th, 1945, Nobuko could imagine nothing about what happened.

Roaring sounds and dreadful impacts overwhelmed passengers.

The train stopped moving, and shakes of the train did not stop. Beyond dusty air in the train, people saw many passengers bleeding with fragments of glass.People fell down on the floor. 

Nobuko stood up and opened the window shades.

She lost a word. Huge clouds carrying flames are growing and growing over the sky. Nobuko saw two of silver things gleaming flying straightly to the sky.

American air-crafts..

She thought.

In front of her eyes, gigantic clouds grew more and more, and she was able to see thunders and fires sparkling inside clouds. 

"Scary"

She thought.

"What's that?"

 "Close blinds! Fire sparks are coming in!"

"Hey, it must be explosions of Gas tanks!"

Passengers started to speak about possible reasons of explosion.Many of them agreed with "Gas Tank explosions" to make such a huge clouds.Nobody could imagine that only a bomb made a tremendous damage at once.

Miraculously, the train started to move, again. This train was the last train headed to Kure on August 6th.

Nobuko arrived at Kure, 21km away from Hiroshima, and there,saw many injured people sent by trucks. skins were hang down from their arms and hand, a young woman's flesh was seen over her back.

"No, no..."

Everybody who saw people from Hiroshima, felt chilly.

Nobuko was thinking about her grand-mother left in Hiroshima..

~~~~~~

Atomic bombs has three energies,radiation, heat and blast.

I think, the reason why Nobuko survived on August 6th is strongly related to "shielding".

Tomorrow, I will talk about "shielding" with some other stories of Hibakusha.