The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Evacuees face double blow amid virus fears
Residents in Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures took shelter at evacuation centers after record rainfall hit the region. Many evacuees were anxious about the possibility of suffering a double blow amid the ongoing novel coronavirus epidemic.
Although local municipalities had been working on measures to prevent the so-called Three C’s — closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings — in some cases, preparations have not been sufficient.
Some residents in neighborhoods cut off due to heavy rains were evacuated by helicopter to a community center in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture.
Among them was a 79-year-old woman who said her home flooded early in the morning on July 4. The woman and her 86-year-old husband took refuge on a hill behind their home and were later rescued.
“It was pitch black because of the blackout,” she said. “I only took two flashlights with me. There was no time to think about what was happening at the shelter.”
The community center has reduced its capacity for accepting evacuees from 100 to 38 as part of coronavirus measures. Disinfectant solution was also placed at the entrance and masks were distributed to evacuees.
The couple wear masks and take other measures to prevent infection as the husband, who uses a wheelchair because of a bad back, is in poor health. “I can’t think about anything beyond tomorrow,” the woman said. “I just want to focus on staying healthy.”
The Yatsushiro municipal government has compiled a manual for implementing virus measures at evacuation centers. In addition to checking temperatures and providing disinfectant solution, the city had planned to use cardboard partitions that were stockpiled after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake at evacuation centers.
Noncontact thermometers and alcohol disinfectants had been distributed to all of the 21 evacuation centers set up by the municipal government, but cardboard partitions were not received in time at some of the facilities.
The local government had planned to conduct a drill this month. “The real disaster happened before we were fully prepared,” a city government official said.
About 140 residents were evacuated to Kuma Technical High School in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 4. Evacuees sheltered in the gymnasium and classrooms, with each classroom holding a few people who sat apart from each other in the corners of the rooms.
“Of course I’m afraid of the virus,” said a 60-year-old evacuee whose home had flooded. “But I’m more anxious about staying at home. I want to take every possible measure to prevent infection.”
The Kagoshima municipal government issued an evacuation advisory to about 56,000 residents on July 4. About 58 people sought shelter at 19 evacuation centers.
One such facility, which had halved its capacity for accepting evacuees to about 50, received eight local residents from four households, with each household allocated a separate room.
There has been a spike in coronavirus cases in Kagoshima Prefecture this month. “There may be anxiety among the residents who have evacuated, but attention is being paid to ventilation and other measures at shelters,” a city government official said.