Ishikawa Prefecture, first evacuation of 9,557 people… Wajima City Emergency Temporary Housing No. 18 completed
15 disaster-related deaths in Ishikawa Prefecture… Concerns about additional deaths due to prolonged evacuation
[가나자와=AP/뉴시스] On the 2nd, houses in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, collapsed due to the earthquake that occurred on the Noto Peninsula the previous day. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a meeting of the Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters and said, “Saving and rescuing victims is a race against time,” and ordered, “We will do our best to ensure the safety of residents as the top priority.” 2024.01.02.
[서울=뉴시스] Reporter Park Jun-ho = It has been a month since a magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Honshu, Japan on New Year’s Day, and it is reported that more than 10,000 residents are still staying in evacuation centers without being able to return home. There are also concerns that there will be an increase in the number of ‘disaster-related deaths’ where people lose their lives due to prolonged evacuation.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 1st, in Ishikawa Prefecture, which suffered extensive damage from the Noto Peninsula earthquake, as of January 31, 9,557 people are sheltering in primary evacuation centers established in public facilities and schools.
In addition, about 5,000 people are taking secondary refuge in lodging facilities, etc., bringing the total number of evacuees to over 14,000.
Some people are enduring the bitter cold in their damaged homes, and Ishikawa Prefecture is urging people to evacuate outside the earthquake-hit area and is also rushing to build emergency temporary housing.
Ishikawa Prefecture aims to begin construction of 3,000 emergency temporary housing units by the end of March. As of the previous day, No. 18 was completed for the first time in Wajima City in the prefecture.
Delays in the restoration of basic infrastructure facilities necessary for daily life add to the difficulties of living in refuge.
[이시카와=AP/뉴시스]Evacuees gather to warm themselves by the stove at the Noto Earthquake evacuation center in Anamizu, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan on the 8th. 2024.01.09.
Although electricity and communications have been largely restored, water outages in approximately 110,000 households in up to 16 regions still continue in approximately 40,000 households in 8 regions. Yomiuri reported that recovery delays were particularly severe in the Okunoto region in the northern part of the Noto Peninsula. In the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, water outages for up to 450,000 households were almost eliminated in just one month, but this time, recovery is facing difficulties due to the road network being cut off due to the topographical characteristics of the peninsula.
For this reason, some point out that there is concern about the increase in ‘disaster-related deaths’ where people lose their lives due to prolonged evacuation.
According to Jiji News, 15 disaster-related deaths have been confirmed in Ishikawa Prefecture as of January 31, and local efforts are continuing to prevent the health of the victims from deteriorating.
As of January 31, 14 caregivers (elderly people in need of nursing care) in their 50s to 90s who needed support had evacuated to Wajima City’s designated evacuation center, “Meeting Health Center.”
Immediately after the earthquake, the area is crowded with victims with their families and pets, making it difficult to provide support for caregivers. Due to the lack of walkers and canes for support, the physical functions of caregivers who were able to walk at home before the earthquake were reduced, and their health sometimes deteriorated to the point of temporary bedridden. Additionally, a group infection with the coronavirus occurred, and several people were hospitalized in other hospitals.
[와지마=AP/뉴시스] On the 2nd, in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, a family packing their belongings is passing in front of a house that collapsed due to the earthquake that occurred on the Noto Peninsula the previous day. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a meeting of the Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters and said, “Saving and rescuing victims is a race against time,” and ordered, “We will do our best to ensure the safety of residents as the top priority.” 2024.01.02.
Experts cautioned that “many disaster-related incidents may occur even one month after the earthquake occurred.”
Professor Yoshihiro Okumura of Kansai University, a disaster prevention expert, pointed out to Jiji News that if evacuation life is prolonged, elderly people may lose their appetite and physical strength and become weak. “It is important to move your body consciously,” he said.
Since disaster-related deaths are often caused by respiratory diseases in the elderly, thorough infection control measures were also requested for those providing evacuation support.
Regarding the secondary evacuation, Professor Okumura pointed out, “We must proceed with a sense of speed, but not everything will be resolved once we evacuate,” and added, “We need to prevent isolation and ensure that people receive the necessary support, and work individually to ensure that the situation improves with the secondary evacuation.” “We need to take follow-up measures for the victims,” he said.
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