Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu experienced a strong magnitude 7.1 earthquake on July 28, and rescue efforts and post-disaster reconstruction work are still ongoing in the disaster area. Prime Minister Sanae Takai visited the disaster area on Monday (August 3), where the scorching heat is causing great suffering for the victims.
According to reports from The Star, the victims have piled rubble, damaged furniture, and appliances along the roadside for clearing, while temporary housing has started to be built in Uki City and Hikawa Town. However, the high temperatures and lack of water are making life even more difficult for the disaster victims.
The Kumamoto Prefectural Government announced on Monday (August 3) that the earthquake has resulted in 38 deaths and 114 injuries. One of the deceased is suspected to have died from heatstroke while seeking refuge in a car due to the high temperatures, and the cause of death for another person is still under investigation.
Currently, over 46,000 households are still without water, and many areas are facing fuel shortages. The Japan Meteorological Agency predicts that the highest temperature in the area on Monday will approach 40 degrees Celsius.
As of now, more than 8,500 evacuees are still being housed in temporary shelters, including community centers, school gyms, and classrooms, with some shelters lacking air conditioning. Some residents are sleeping in city hall parking lots, inside cars, or on the streets.
Prime Minister Sanae Takai’s visit to the Kumamoto disaster area on Monday included a visit to a shelter equipped with cardboard beds, partitions, and air conditioning. However, some people on social media have questioned whether the facilities at the shelters visited during this inspection, which were relatively well-equipped, truly reflect the actual situation of most disaster victims.
On the other hand, attention has been drawn to a shopping center explosion that occurred after the earthquake. In the commercial facility “AEON Mall Kumamoto” in Kajima Town, the operating company of a general store, Habita, admitted that they had instructed two employees to return to the store to handle the day’s sales proceeds after the earthquake, and subsequently, both employees died in the explosion.
Company executives attended the wake ceremony for the deceased 22-year-old employee, Kurumi Otake, on Sunday and publicly apologized to her family. Sales manager Goji Yuse acknowledged that they had asked the two employees to promptly deposit the day’s sales proceeds into the safe at that time.
The mall operators stated that a preliminary assessment suggests the explosion may be related to a gas leak. Following the earthquake, about 3,000 customers were evacuated to the parking lot, but some employees remained inside the mall.
According to the Kumamoto Prefectural Government’s statistics, the earthquake has destroyed approximately 700 houses and damaged over 11,300 buildings, indicating that the reconstruction work in the disaster area will take some time.