PM Sanae Takaichi visits quake-hit southern Japan as cleanup begins in intense heat
PM Sanae Takaichi Visits Quake Zone as Recovery Efforts Intensify
Poinews.com – Residents in Japan's quake-hit southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto have begun clearing debris from their neighborhoods as the region continues to bake under intense summer heat. The combination of soaring temperatures and widespread water supply disruptions has significantly complicated recovery operations in the severely damaged areas. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited the affected region for the first time since a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu on Tuesday. During her visit, the PM Sanae Takaichi visits quake survivors and assessed the ongoing humanitarian crisis firsthand.
Local residents have been placing heaps of debris, broken furniture, and damaged appliances along streets for collection crews. In the towns of Uki and Hikawa, construction crews have already begun building temporary housing units for displaced families. Several hotels and traditional inns are offering their rooms to evacuees who cannot return home. More than 46,000 households remain without access to clean water, and many households also face fuel shortages as the region endures sweltering conditions that are stoking fears of heat-related illnesses among vulnerable populations.
Challenging Conditions for Evacuees
The Japan Meteorological Agency predicted that temperatures would climb close to 40 degrees Celsius on Monday, adding another layer of difficulty to relief efforts. More than 8,500 people remain housed in crowded emergency shelters, including converted community centres, school gyms, and classrooms, many of which lack adequate air-conditioning. Others are sleeping in vehicles at town hall parking lots and public parks, or simply outside their damaged homes. The PM Sanae Takaichi visits quake-affected areas revealed the scale of displacement facing local communities.
Disaster management experts have long warned that inadequate shelter provision leads to crowded conditions and insufficient sanitation and privacy for people forced to leave their homes following major earthquakes. Takaichi on Monday flew over the affected areas from an army helicopter and visited one of the area's best-equipped shelters, which featured cardboard beds, partitions, and air-conditioning. Her visit triggered some criticisms on social media that her tour of the well-equipped facility distorted the reality faced by most evacuees. Kumamoto Governor Takashi Kimura, during his meeting with Takaichi, stressed that the "abnormal heat" has been relentlessly pounding on the already difficult lives of residents.
The governor sought further government support to improve living conditions at evacuation centres, noting that many facilities lack clean water and adequate medical care. "While taking into consideration the governor's requests, we will quickly examine what the government can do for the disaster-hit region and affected people and move proactively," Takaichi said during her address to local officials. Meanwhile, a company that owned a general store in a collapsed shopping mall acknowledged that it had instructed two employees who were killed in a later explosion to return to the building to put sales proceeds into a safe.
Two executives of Habita, a local general store operator that had a shop inside the collapsed Aeon Mall in the town of Kashima, attended the wake of one of the two victims on Sunday. The victim was 22-year-old Kurumi Otake, and the executives apologised to her parents for her death. Company sales manager Goji Yuse acknowledged that the company instructed the two employees to put sales proceeds into the safe if it was possible. "I wish someone had stopped her," Otake's tearful mother told them during the memorial service.
"My daughter is not coming back." The mall's operator said it believes the explosion was due to a gas leak and occurred after about 3,000 shoppers had been evacuated to a parking lot following the quake, but some employees remained inside. Rescuers recovered five people and the bodies of seven others from the mall structure. The earthquake has left 114 people injured across Kumamoto, authorities confirmed in their latest report.
Some 700 homes were completely destroyed and more than 11,300 buildings were damaged, according to Kumamoto prefecture statistics. The PM Sanae Takaichi visits quake zone as cleanup operations continue amid challenging weather conditions. Government officials are coordinating with local authorities to ensure adequate resources reach the most affected communities in the coming days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the earthquake in Kumamoto? The earthquake was caused by tectonic activity along fault lines beneath Kyushu island, registering a magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter scale.
How many people were affected by the disaster? Over 46,000 households lost water supplies, and more than 8,500 people remain in emergency shelters across the region.
What is the current death toll? Thirty-eight people died during and after the earthquake, including casualties from the subsequent mall explosion.
When did PM Sanae Takaichi visit the area? The PM Sanae Takaichi visits quake-hit regions on Monday, shortly after the Tuesday earthquake, to assess recovery progress.