Long queues for water and food after devastating earthquake in Japan

Hundreds of inhabitants of the small Japanese town of Shika They line up on Tuesday in front of the mayor’s office hoping to receive the six liters of water allocated to each person after the powerful earthquake that shook the country the day before.

People receive bags of water at Shika Prefecture in Shika, Ishikawa Prefecture, on January 2, 2024, a day after a massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI/AFP) (KAZUHIRO NOGI/)

Tsugumasa Mihara, 73 years old, says he doesn’t remember ever going through something like this. This inhabitant of Shikalocated in Ishikawa Prefecture, was taking a nap when a “strong tremor” He woke up on Monday at 4:10 pm (07:10 GMT).

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“I felt helpless (…) All I could do was pray for that this would be over quickly”, he tells AFP.

In total, about 150 earthquakes shook Japan between Monday afternoon It is Tuesday morning. The strongest reached a magnitude of 7.6, according to the Japanese meteorological agency JMA.

Damage to the house Tsugumasa Mihara They were small: just a few broken plates on the kitchen floor. AND Unlike many other inhabitants, he has electricity.

But the problem, he explains, is the watersince the network water drinking Shikaas well as many other towns on the Noto peninsula, were damaged.

Many other inhabitants of the peninsula were less fortunate. Various buildings It is Houses collapsed from the tremor.

Latest provisional casualty count published On Tuesday there were 48 deaths.

READ TOO: Magnitude 7.6 earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, leaving at least 48 dead

“Move on”

In Wajimaa coastal town 60 km north of Shikaan entire neighborhood of wooden houses was destroyed by flames.

On this rural peninsula nestled between the mountains It is he seaAccess for emergency services is difficult everywhere due to roads that are damaged, collapsed or blocked by landslides.

An unusual calm reigns in the streets of the cities visited by AFP journalists, who also saw many vehicles stuck in cracks in the asphalt.

Residents also line up in front of supermarkets. for stock up, although some businesses are closed due to lack of supplies. “Today we are closed. We are evacuating”says a sign at the entrance of one of these establishments.

In some places, workers are already working for seal the cracks It is facilitate the passage of firefighters, the army – which was called in as reinforcements – It is of the police.

In front of the city hall Shika, Yukoa 58-year-old woman also expects to receive waterdistributed by an employee in a blue uniform It is face mask.

“To need water”, he tells AFP. “An event like this reminds us how essential it is to water”he points out.

“I was at home, on the first floor, watching television when the incident occurred. earthquake. “I feared for my life”says the woman.

The way 2024 began “will remain engraved in my memory for ever”says another 46-year-old woman, Akikowho together with her children was visiting her parents in Wajima for celebrate the end of the year.

Since earthquakeThe whole family sleeps outside the parents’ wooden house, which is leaning against it. AND Akiko He cannot return home at this time because the routes are blocked.

But Akiko remains optimistic. “Now that we have seen the worst (…) we have to move forward.”

Source: Elcomercio