Power, Water Outages Hit Evacuees in Quake-Hit Kumamoto

Kumamoto, July 29 (Jiji Press)–Local residents in Kumamoto Prefecture have fled to evacuation centers amid power and water outages after a powerful earthquake struck the southwestern Japan prefecture on Tuesday, while medical institutions and stores are responding to the aftermath. In the town of Hikawa, which observed the maximum seismic intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale, about 150 people had visited the Yatsushiro North Community Medical Center, by 8 a.m. Wednesday. Most of them had light injuries, but a center official said that it was in a state of confusion as patients came throughout the night. In the city of Uki, which also logged the top intensity of 7, a Hello Work public job placement office building was damaged, and the asphalt in the parking lot buckled. According to a 44-year-old female staff member, the office still lacks a water supply. “I hope the situation will return to normal as soon as possible,” she said. About 500 residents evacuated to a disaster prevention center in the Ogawa district of Uki. The facility is offering stockpiled food supplies but experiencing power and water outages, leaving the evacuees without air conditioning. In the city of Yatsushiro, which recorded the intensity of upper 6, the second-highest level on the Japanese scale, about 100 people spent the night at a community center that was opened to the public as an evacuation center. A makeshift toilet was set up due to the water outage. “We don’t know when water and food will arrive next,” a male center official said. “I’m worried because aftershocks are continuing.” In the city of Kumamoto, which also logged upper 6, staff at a convenience store in Minami Ward cleaned up products that were scattered throughout the store by the earthquake, while customers continued to come to buy water, bread, cup noodles and other goods. “Bento (boxed meals) are expected to be delivered as usual, and we will continue operations,” the 64-year-old head of the store said. “We will prepare for aftershocks.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]