Haruo Obata is 78 years old. He became famous in Japan after finding a two-year-old boy in August in Yamaguchi. The boy had been lost for three days on a mountain. Obata is a resident of Oita, a city in the south of Japan. He had travelled to the neighbouring province to take part in the search with other volunteers. Obata found the child by himself and became nationally known as the “super volunteer”.

Obata has tried to help others during his entire life. After retiring at 65, he intensified his volunteering activities. After every natural disaster in Japan, Obata boards a minivan and goes to the places that most need help. That is how it was with the earthquakes in Niigata in 2004 and 2007 and in the Tohoko region in 2011, as well as in other events.

His next mission will be to return to Kure in Hiroshima province. In July, the region was hit by storms and floods that killed close to 200 people. Obata wants to focus on what still needs to be done, such as removing the flooring of the homes affected by the floods.

Earthquakes and Typhoons

Japan was struck by two major natural disasters in September alone. In the rural area of Atsuma, houses were affected by landslides caused by an earthquake on September 6th, and 44 people were killed.

Two days before that, typhoon Jebi hit the country. It was the strongest one in 25 years. It brought heavy rains and winds of up to 190 km/hr. At least ten people died and 300 were injured. Volunteers like Haruo Obata help make a difference during times like those.

1) Which of the alternatives is true?
a) Japanese Haruo Obata travels by motorcycle, train, and even plane to places affected by natural disasters.
b) Many volunteers travel to help out after disasters, but Obata became famous after helping out a child.
c) Obata’s next destination is Atsuma, a place hit by a 6.6 earthquake.
d) Obata became a volunteer at 78.

2) Which places in Brazil or in the world do you think most need help at this time?

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