AMN / TOKYO
At least 4 people dead and more than 370 injured in a major earthquake that jolted western Japan on Monday. The Meteorological Agency is warning it’s possible another big earthquake could hit in the coming days.
Agency’s official says “Frequent seismic activity is continuing in the northern part of Osaka Prefecture.
Strong tremors could have raised the risk of landslides or building collapse. People in such areas are advised to watch out for further seismic activity and rain.”
The earthquake struck before 8 AM in northern Osaka and measured 6.1 in magnitude. On Japan’s seismic intensity scale of zero to seven, it’s categorized as a six-minus.
9-year-old Rina Miyake was killed when a wall collapsed while she was on her way to school.
80-year-old Minoru Yasui was also hit by a falling wall in a different area. He was on his way to do volunteer work for a local school.
85-year-old Motochika Goto was killed after a bookshelf fell on him. Many of the injured have been taken to hospital with the biggest number of injuries reported in the prefecture of Osaka.
Authorities are also dealing with damage. Firefighters have put out three house fires in northern Osaka.
Pipes have cracked underneath some roads and ceiling tiles fell in city halls in Osaka, Hyogo and Nara Prefectures as well as at the terminal building of Osaka airport.
Around 1,300 people have fled to evacuation centers set up across Osaka. 100,000 homes are without gas and water outages are being reported in the northern half of Osaka.
Shinkansen bullet train services in the area were suspended for hours for safety checks. All the service resumed in the afternoon, but there were numerous cancellations and delays.
Local trains have also been affected, stranding thousands of passengers.
Japan’s nuclear regulator says no problems have been found with reactors in Fukui Prefecture.
They are located to the north of the quake’s epicenter.
Abe calls for fully supporting quake victims
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed his ministers to make every effort to support those affected by Monday’s powerful earthquake in Osaka Prefecture.
He called a meeting of relevant ministers following the magnitude 6.1 earthquake on Monday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and Disaster Management Minister Hachiro Okonogi were among the participants.
Abe said the powerful earthquake, which was centered in northern Osaka, has so far claimed the lives of a small girl and 2 senior citizens. He said he prays for the souls of those who died. He also said his heart goes out to those who were injured and everyone else affected by the quake.
Abe said the government has been making a concerted effort to gather information, keep lines of communication open, and perform search and rescue operations. But, he said, vital services and utilities are still disrupted.
He instructed the ministers to do all they can to restore public transportation systems, gas, water and other essential services.
Abe said it may become necessary to provide shelter, water and other relief supplies to those affected.
He noted that the important thing is to respond proactively.
He asked the ministers to check shelters and provide food and daily supplies if necessary even before requests come in to the government.
He took a moment to remember a girl who was crushed to death when a wall at a school pool collapsed on her. He urged the ministers to ensure schools are safe in times of disaster.
Additional input from NHK