Japan digs for quake survivors
JAPANESE rescuers dug through the rubble of collapsed buildings and mud yesterday to reach dozens believed trapped after a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the island of Kyushu, killing at least 32 people and injuring about 1 000.
The shallow earthquake hit in the early hours, sending people fleeing from their beds, and followed a 6.4magnitude quake on Thursday which killed nine people in the area.
TV footage showed fires, power outages, collapsed bridges and gaping holes in the earth. Residents near a dam were told to leave because of fears it might crumble.
“I felt strong shaking at first, then I was thrown about like I was in a washing machine,” said a Tokai University student who remains isolated in the village of Minamiaso on Kyushu.
“All the lights went out and I heard a loud noise. A lot of gas is leaking and while there hasn’t been a fire, that remains a concern,” the student told Japanese media.
There was concern for those trapped under rubble overnight with heavy rain forecast and the temperature expected to drop to 13°C. About 190 of those injured were in serious condition, the government said.
Frightened people wrapped in blankets sat outside their homes while others camped out in rice fields in rural areas surrounding the main towns. About 422 000 households were without water, and about 100 000 without electricity, the government said. Troops were setting up tents for evacuees and water trucks were being sent to the area.
“The wind is expected to pick up and rain will likely get heavier. Rescue operations at night will be extremely difficult,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a government meeting.
“But there are people waiting for help. Please do your utmost while putting top priority on human lives.” The speed of rescue efforts was critical given that rain could further damage weakened buildings and cause landslides. “Nothing is more important than human life and it’s a race against time,” Abe said.
Defence force personnel in the town of Mashiki, close to the epicentre, were providing food and water.
“I don’t mind standing in line. I’m just thankful for some food,” said a man in his 60s waiting in line for a meal.
Japan is on the seismically active “ring of fire” around the Pacific Ocean and has building codes aimed at helping structures withstand earthquakes.
A quake in March 2011 north of Tokyo touched off a massive tsunami, which killed nearly 20 000 people, and the nuclear meltdown at Fukushima.
The epicentre of the quake yesterday was measured at a shallow depth of 10km. The shallower a quake, the more likely it is to cause damage.