From "Loan Ebeye Rainin" - April 30, 1976, page 2 FOLIO THE RONGELAPESE DISASTER (harm, misfortune) Concerning the disaster (harm, damage) experienced by the Rongelap people when the Americans tested the H-Bomb at Bikini between the hours of 5 and 6 o'clock a.m. on March 1, 1954. First of all, there appeared a light rising from the surface of the water northwest of Rongelap Atoll. It began to appear and spread until it covered the whole sky (atmosphere) --no light (can compare) to that light. There were many beautiful colors which were most impressive to see. When the light faded (disappeared), a smoke appeared and also spread over the whole sky. As the smoke dissipated and almost disappeared there occurred a deafening (breaking) sound which was enormous and frightening. The people awoke from their sleep and were terrified and confused. to hide in the bushes (underbrush). Some ran They thought this was the last day (end-of- the-world), and it is reported that some repented and changed (their way of life) at that time. During the period between 6 o'clock and 10 o'clock that morning nothing else happened. The people began to go about their work --fishing and other activities. After 10 o'clock that morning, a powder began to fall and the sky (atmosphere, air) was dense (opaque). At this time three jet planes came and circled over Rongelap and the people thought that the reason the sky was dense and the powder was falling was because the planes were spraying it (the sky). The people were mistaken and went out of their houses and watched these planes. feel their eyes hurting as when we get dust in them. like snow. Then they began to The powder increased and fell This continued until 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon of that day --the powder covered all the soil and plants, and the islet half a mile away was not visdble. At 10 o'clock that night the people began to feel sick, especially the children, who were the most susceptable (prone to danger) and pitiful. they had (got) were itching, restlessness, ache, earache, The sicknesses (symptoms) stomach ache, irritableness, nausea, head- tooth ache, and aches in ell the joints of the body, to such an extent