Dear colleagues,
This is the second OCHA Flash Update on the Kumamoto earthquakes in Japan.
Frequent aftershocks still continue in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures following the 6.5 and 7.3 magnitude earthquakes that hit Kumamoto on 14 and 16 April respectively. As of 6:00 p.m. local time (GMT+9), Japanese authorities had confirmed a total of 41 fatalities due to the earthquakes, and more than 1,000 persons were injured, including 200 seriously injured. According to prefectural authorities, approximately 110,000 people have been temporarily displaced by the earthquakes, sheltering in more than 720 temporary evacuation centres established by local authorities.
Search and rescue operations remain the priority, especially in the towns of Mashiki-machi and Minamiaso-mura (Kumamoto).
Heavy rains, which persisted overnight in the affected areas, did not cause significant additional damage. While weather conditions have improved across Kyushu Island during the day, facilitating search and rescue and relief operations, the Government remains concerned about the potential risk of more land- or mud-slides.
Local authorities continue to distribute relief goods. Additional food, water, medical services and non-food items are needed for the affected. The Government has started to distribute additional food items to cover 900,000 meals, sufficient to meet needs for three days. The Japanese Red Cross Society has deployed its medical emergency teams to Mashiki-machi, while JRC Kumamoto Hospital continues to treat the patients. The Japan Platform (JPF, www.japanplatform.org) – a consortium of the Government of Japan, NGOs and the private sector – has dispatched staff members to the affected areas with at least six member organizations deploying staff to conduct assessments and support local rescue and relief efforts.
Some 275,000 households in Kumamoto are still without water supply and 66,400 households in Kumamoto are without electricity. The gas supply for 105,000 households in Kumamoto prefecture cannot be restored until after the aftershocks have ceased.
Kumamoto Airport also remains closed due to damaged infrastructure.
At a press conference this morning, Japanese Prime Minister Abe called for the improvement of conditions in temporary evacuation centres, as well as alternative accommodations to be organized for evacuees. To ensure that the diverse needs of affected people are fully met, the Government has established an inter-ministerial team to support and improve the living conditions of affected populations. Team members will be deployed to the field and support responding local authorities.
The Government of Japan has also accepted an offer by the United States military to support the air transport of relief goods and evacuees. No additional request for international assistance beyond this has been made by Japanese authorities.
The next Flash Update will be issued should the evolving situation require.
To access the Kumamoto earthquakes location map, please follow this link.
For more information, contact: Masaki Watabe, Head, OCHA Kobe, watabem@un.org, Mobile: +81-90-6018-9100 Kristen Knutson, Head, Regional Partnerships Unit, OCHA Regional Office for Asia-Pacific, knutson@un.org, Mobile: +66-8-1984-6896