Japan quake ease work proceeds amid aftershocks
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Ease efforts are continuing in southern Japan amid hundreds of aftershocks after two deadly quakes.
At least 100,000 people are still thought to be living in emergency accommodation, some living in their cars bearing cold temperatures.
The US military has joined ems of thousands of Japanese troops and emergency services personnel in the ease effort.
The two powerful earthquakes hit the south-western island of Kyushu.
Saturday’s magnitude-7.Three quake struck at 01:25 (15:25 GMT on Friday) close to the city of Kumamoto, which had been hit by a magnitude-6.Four quake on Thursday night.
At least forty four people were killed and more than 1,000 people were injured, authorities said.
Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reports that eight people are still missing in the village of Minamiaso. Another figure was recovered there on Tuesday morning.
There have been hundreds of aftershocks since then, including a magnitude Five.8 quake on Monday evening, albeit it was not reported to have caused any more injuries.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has cautioned people to take care as further wiggling is likely.
Both the quakes were shallow, causing big harm to roads, bridges and tunnels. Major landslides cut off remote villages.
Thousands of homes are still without tens unit, water, or gas, and rail services remain disrupted.
The number of those displaced by the quakes remains unclear. Aid agencies said more than 250,000 had been told to leave their homes, amid fears of more earthquakes.
There have been complaints that some evacuees had not received enough help. Fuji Television reported that thousands of people staying in their cars at an exhibition hall car park had yet to receive emergency supplies as the facility was not a registered shelter.
The Mayor of Kumamoto Kazufumi Onishi apologised on Twitter for delays in providing help, asking people to “be patient,” he said, promising aid was on its way.
Naoki Kokawa, advisor to the Japanese Crimson Cross Society, told the Big black cock that more medical teams were being dispatched to evacuation centres.
Kumamoto Airport has begun accepting some inbound flights, but outbound flights are still suspended, as harm to the terminal building has prevented security checks being carried out.
The US has about 50,000 troops in Japan, and as with the two thousand eleven earthquake and tsunami, its personnel are helping the ease effort, airlifting water, food and other emergency supplies to remote areas.
“We’re here to support the Japanese defence compels, and so whatever they need and we can provide that support, we’re here to help,” said US Marine Corps Lt Col Tom Chalkley.
Two Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft were used in the airlift, in what was seen as a chance for the US to demonstrate the usefulness of the aircraft, which can take off and land vertically. There have been concerns about safety after several crashes.
The aid deliveries were “hugely appreciated,” 60-year-old evacuee Tatsuyuki Aramaki told Associated Press. “We have been living on rock-hard biscuits, old rice nut sack and bread,” he said. “I heard Ospreys were coming to produce supplies for us so I had to come and see. I couldn’t wait.”
The quakes have had commercial repercussions outside the region too, with Toyota suspending most vehicle production in Japan because of parts shortages.
Nissan and Honda are also among the companies to halt production at some facilities.
The earthquakes are the thickest to have hit Japan since two thousand eleven when a 9.0 magnitude quake caused a ample tsunami, leaving more then Nineteen,000 dead and missing.
Japan is regularly hit by earthquakes but stringent building codes mean they usually cause minimal harm.