Current:Home > MyJapan’s Kishida visits quake-hit region as concerns rise about diseases in evacuation centers-InfoLens
Japan’s Kishida visits quake-hit region as concerns rise about diseases in evacuation centers
View Date:2024-12-23 17:06:28
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Sunday the country’s north-central region of Noto for the first time since the deadly Jan. 1 earthquakes to alleviate growing concern about slow relief work and the spread of diseases in evacuation centers.
The magnitude 7.6 earthquake left 220 dead and 26 others still missing while injuring hundreds. More than 20,000 people, many of whom had their homes damaged or destroyed, are taking refuge at about 400 school gymnasiums, community centers and other makeshift facilities, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency report.
Road damage has hampered rescue efforts, and though relief supplies have reached most regions affected by the quake, hundreds of people in isolated areas are getting little support. Additionally, in the hard-hit towns of Noto, Wajima and Suzu, elderly residents account for half their population, and many are facing growing risks of deteriorating health, officials and experts say.
Kishida, in his disaster-response uniform, visited a junior high school that has turned into an evacuation center in Wajima where officials showed him the evacuees’ severe living conditions. They also spoke about the potential risk of spreading infectious diseases, such as influenza, COVID-19 and stomach flu due to the lack of running water.
The prime minister said he takes the evacuee’s conditions seriously and promised support. “We will do everything we can so that you can have hope for the future,” he said.
To prevent possible health problems and risk of death at evacuation centers, local and central government officials said they would provide the evacuees free accommodation at hotels and apartments — further away from their neighborhoods — until temporary housing was ready. But many of the locals have refused to move out, worried about their destroyed homes, belongings and communities.
Ishikawa Gov. Hiroshi Hase urged on Friday the residents to temporarily relocate to the recommended facilities to rest better and “protect your lives.”
Mototaka Inaba, a medical doctor who heads an international relief organization Peace Winds Japan, told an NHK talk show on Sunday that a secondary evacuation of elderly residents was critical from a medical perspective but should be done in a way that didn’t isolate them.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also stressed in a pre-recorded interview with NHK the importance of relocating the residents taking into consideration their sense of community, jobs and education.
Many have criticized Kishida’s government over what they called a slow disaster response.
The cabinet has approved 4.7 billion yen (about $32 million) for relief efforts and is backing the call for a secondary evacuation, including to facilities in the capital region.
veryGood! (35163)
Related
- Prominent conservative lawyer Ted Olson, who argued Bush recount and same-sex marriage cases, dies
- BOC (Beautiful Ocean Coin): Leading a New Era of Ocean Conservation and Building a Sustainable Future
- Liam Payne's preliminary cause of death revealed: Officials cite 'polytrauma'
- Mother, boyfriend face more charges after her son’s remains found in Wisconsin woods
- College Football Playoff snubs: Georgia among teams with beef after second rankings
- Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US rises to the highest level in 8 weeks
- Colorado gold mine where tour guide was killed and tourists trapped ordered closed by regulators
- BOC (Beautiful Ocean Coin) Grand Debut! IEO Launching Soon, A Revolutionary Blockchain Solution for Ocean Conservation
- Advance Auto Parts is closing hundreds of stores in an effort to turn its business around
- See Liam Payne Reunite With Niall Horan in Sweet Photos Days Before His Death
Ranking
- Mariah Carey's Amazon Holiday Merch Is All I Want for Christmas—and It's Selling Out Fast!
- Former elections official in Virginia sues the state attorney general
- Liam Payne was 'intoxicated,' 'breaking the whole room' before death from fall: 911 call
- BOC (Beautiful Ocean Coin): Leading a New Era of Ocean Conservation and Building a Sustainable Future
- Nelly will not face charges after St. Louis casino arrest for drug possession
- Appalachian Hydrogen Hub Plan Struggles Amid Economic Worries, Study Says
- Jane Fonda 'deeply honored' to receive Life Achievement Award at 2025 SAG Awards
- 'Lifesaver': How iPhone's satellite mode helped during Hurricane Helene
Recommendation
-
Mississippi rising, Georgia falling in college football NCAA Re-Rank 1-134 after Week 11
-
'Dune: Prophecy' cast, producers reveal how the HBO series expands on the films
-
Latest Dominion Energy Development Forecasts Raise Ire of Virginia Environmentalists
-
Why Erik Menendez Blames Himself for Lyle Menendez Getting Arrested
-
Are banks, post offices, UPS and FedEx open on Veterans Day? Here's what to know
-
NFL Week 7 picks straight up and against spread: Will Chiefs or 49ers win Super Bowl rematch?
-
State police officers who fatally shot man were legally justified to use deadly force, report says
-
The Biden administration has now canceled loans for more than 1 million public workers