Japan is still reeling 100 days after the Noto earthquake

Hunting boots. Their son's beloved hunting boots – that's what Hamazuka Hiroyuki and Chiaki hope to find in the rubble of their garage. The Hamazuka family's place in Suzu, on the northern tip of Japan's Noto Peninsula, is one of about 100,000 buildings damaged or destroyed when a massive earthquake struck on January 1. As of late March, the disaster had killed 244 people. The Hamazuka family and their children survived, but like most of their neighbors, about 100 days after the quake, the family is just beginning to put their lives back together. Fujino Tatsuo, a disaster relief volunteer who helps clear the Hamazuka family's wreckage with an excavator, says the peninsula will take years to recover.

The shaking started around 4pm on New Year's Day. “The sea looked black, swirling in a vortex,” Hamazuka recalls. The 7.6-magnitude quake was the strongest to hit the country since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, which triggered a massive tsunami and precipitated the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. Seismic activity in Noto has initiated a process known as “liquefaction,” where normally solid ground turns into a liquid-like substance, resulting in distorted roads and twisted structures. In Wajima, the main city on the peninsula, a fire broke out in a market, leaving behind barren land.

Across Noto, debris is widespread. Although newer buildings remain, many of the traditional wooden houses have been flattened. Nearly 10,000 people remain displaced. Residents strive to maintain their dignity. At an evacuation center in Wajima, a group of women drink green tea and arrange sweets on painted trays, the city's signature craft. However, grief and shock are never beneath the surface. After serving your correspondent, a Wajima resident breaks down, remembering the friends she lost.

The damage at Noto might have been worse were it not for Japan's attention to disaster risk and a little good luck. The earthquake struck the peninsula, where a small portion of the country's population lives and which represents a small share of the gross domestic product. The government estimates damage will reach about 2.6 trillion yen (US$17 billion), a manageable amount compared even to the cost of another major earthquake in 2016 in Kumamoto, a mid-sized southern city, which caused 5 trillion yen in damage. . (The tremors that are feared to occur in Tokyo or central Japan may cause more damage.) Although the government issued a major tsunami warning, fortunately the waves were smaller than expected. Residents have largely responded to calls to evacuate.

However, every earthquake that strikes Japan is a lesson for future disasters. The remoteness of the Noto Peninsula, which lies off the northern tip of Japan's main island, has complicated rescue and recovery efforts. Roads to Kanazawa, the prefectural capital, were destroyed, and for weeks after the quake, a trip that normally took two hours took up to nine hours. “We couldn't go to the places we planned because the roads were closed,” says a Wajima municipal government official. Ports were also damaged, making it difficult to transport supplies by boat.

The Noto Peninsula is also at the forefront of Japan's demographic transition. The region is one of the oldest in the country, with nearly half the population aged 65 years, compared to about 30% nationally. Older people are particularly vulnerable during disasters. Of the 3,200 people who died from illness or stress following the Great East Japan Earthquake, nearly 90% were over the age of 65.

Not only is Japan's population aging, but so is its infrastructure. Water pipes laid during Japan's postwar boom have reached the end of their useful lives, but utilities lack the money to invest in upgrading them. Population migration eats into their profits. In Noto, up to 135,000 families were left without water following the earthquake. Flush toilets are still hard to come by. Volunteer groups helped set up temporary facilities.

New technology may be able to help address some of these challenges. In evacuation centers across the peninsula, residents can wash their hands or shower using special sink units and bathrooms that self-recirculate water, thanks to Wota, a Japanese startup that produces decentralized water treatment infrastructure. Drones have been deployed to help transport supplies to hard-to-reach coastal communities. This allowed deliveries to be made within 16 minutes of base camp, compared to a five to six hour walk. Digital ID cards have made it easier to track those in need, and officials hope the disaster will encourage their widespread use. “We want to make the area more resilient, not just put in more concrete,” says Nishigaki Atsuko, vice governor of Ishikawa Prefecture, which includes the Noto Peninsula.

However, the recovery is sure to be long. “It seems almost endless,” says the Wajima official. Simply removing the debris is expected to take until the end of 2026; The disaster's waste is expected to reach about 2.4 million tons, equivalent to about seven years' worth of garbage in the province. Prefecture officials hope to return the displaced to their homes within four years, but in reality it may take much longer, or may not happen at all. Older residents who have been evacuated could be resettled elsewhere, rather than trying to rebuild from scratch. The main long-term risk is accelerating population decline, believes Karashima Yuraki of the Peace Corps Disaster Relief Volunteer Center, a non-profit organization: “How many people will actually come back?” As Japan knows all too well, disasters continue long after the tremors stop. ■

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos