like her classmates, 14-year-old natsumi shioji is keen to know about the disaster that happened before she was born. >> this is amazing. >> reporter: they heard from a veteran firefighter. >> translator: in just an instant, scores of people were trapped under collapsed buildings. we didn't have enough fire engines to cope. about 95% of the rescued people were pulled out from the rubble by their neighbors. >> translator: i was able to learn how people suffered and how they helped each other. >> reporter: nastsumi lives in wack yeah ma prefecture. experts say it will be hit by fierce tremors and a tsunami three stories high will roll through. after classes, matsumi and other students learn about past quakes. >> translator: let's compare the great honchin quake and the great east japan quake. >> reporter: they learned the tremors lasted a short time but during northeastern japan's quake in 1994, some places shook for over four minutes. they will experience shaking followed by a massive tsunami. it won't be the first time a quake has struck the area. this temple holds records of an earthqu