Dear colleagues,
This is the third OCHA Flash Update on the Kumamoto earthquakes in Japan.
Aftershocks, including a 5.8 magnitude tremor at 8:41 pm local time (GMT+9) on 18 April, continue in Kumamoto Prefecture, even as rescue and relief operations are ongoing to reach communities affected by the 6.5 and 7.3 magnitude earthquakes that hit Kumamoto on 14 and 16 April. The Japan Meteorological Agency has recorded over 600 aftershocks since 14 April. Government assessments indicate that earthquake damage was most severe in Mashiki-machi, Minamiaso-mura and Uto City.
As of 6:45 a.m. local time (GMT+9) on 19 April, authorities confirmed 44 fatalities due to the earthquakes, over 1,100 people injured and eight people still missing. An estimated 94,160 people continue to shelter in 1,021 evacuation centres in Kumamoto, Oita, Fukuoka and Nagasaki prefectures. The number of people in the centres has decreased, from 112,100 people on 18 April, with the recovery and resumption of basic services such as water and electricity.
According to the Japan Platform (JPF), a consortium of the Japanese Government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector, water, food, and sanitary items remain priority needs. JPF members noted challenges in relief distributions from hubs to the evacuation centres due to lack of staff and a system to allow efficient sorting and delivery on the ground. The need to meet the diverse needs of those affected, especially women, children, elderly, and disabled people, and the importance of ensuring gender-sensitive approaches (e.g. distribution of sanitary goods by female staff) are emphasized. JPF also noted that collecting, analysing, and communicating information on the needs remains a challenge, especially at the level of local authorities.
JPF’s position is that with their prior experience and expertise, NGOs can play key roles in terms of needs/situational assessment, supporting the operational management of evacuation centres, distribution of relief items and operational coordination, including bridging with the private sector. JPF’s 11 member NGOs and JPF Secretariat have deployed staff to support local authorities to provide food aid and emergency shelter, establish child friendly spaces, and conduct rapid assessments. Please see the JPF website for more information (www.japanplatform.org).
Since 14 April, the Kumamoto Red Cross Hospital has treated more than 2,000 patients. The Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) has also set up a field hospital with surgical facilities and intensive care units in Nishihara-mura, one of the most affected and isolated areas. More details on JRCS response activities are available on the IFRC website: (http://www.ifrc.org/asia-pacific).
In collaboration with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, two United States military Osprey aircrafts have been deployed to support relief operations in Minamiaso-mura since 18 April.
With the limited number of staff available to process incoming relief goods in some areas, national authorities announced that emergency food supplies would be delivered directly to established shelters. Additional personnel have been deployed to coordinate and expedite distributions. As of 18 April, 490,000 of the 900,000 planned meal distributions have been completed. The Government also increased the number of meals to be distributed to 1.8 million.
Basic infrastructure, such as water and electricity, is gradually being restored, yet 13,000 households remain without electricity in Kumamoto and 119,000 households without water in Kumamoto, Oita and Miyazaki. Gas supply in Kumamoto cannot be restored due to the ongoing aftershocks.
Commercial flights partially resumed at Kumamoto Airport on 19 April. The airport is primarily being used to support rescue and relief operations.
On 18 April, the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General issued a statement expressing the Secretary-General’s deepest condolences to the people and Government of Japan and reaffirming that the UN stands ready to provide assistance should it be requested.
To date, the Government has not requested international support in addition to the air assets provided by the United States military.
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