. >> reporter: natsumi lives in wakayama prefecture. after classes, natsumi and other students learn about past quakes. >> let's compare the great quake and great east japan quake. >> reporter: they learned that tremors of the great quake lasted a short time but during northeastern japan's quake in 2011, some places shook for over four minutes. the residents will experience a lot of 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 earthquake and tsunami that struck more than 300 years ago. the inscription says, waves as tall as mountains swept through. one hour after the tremor. 162 people died. >> there were mountain slides, the ground cracked and people became frantic. >> the students are making their own hazard map. it contains areas most likely to flood. they plan to give copies to residents. >> translator: where do we flee to? >> to higher ground. >> what if there's a landslide? >> we want to use what we learned in preparing for a quake and we want to get

students from wakayama prefecture western japan are here to view the exhibit. 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