TOKYO, April 16 – RIA Novosti, Xenia Naka The island of Kyushu in the south-east of Japan for the last three days has gone through three hundred earthquakes, as a result of the two most powerful of them killed 37 people, more than 2,000. affected.
As it became clear on Saturday, an earthquake of magnitude 6.5, which occurred on Thursday and claimed nine lives, preceded the main aftershocks of magnitude 7,3.
The main impact
An earthquake measuring 7.3 occurred on Saturday at 1.25 (19.25 MSK on Friday) in the same area of the prefecture of Kumamoto, which has already suffered from the strong quake on Thursday. By the force of it in 16 times surpassed the previous earthquake and was on par with the devastating disaster in Kobe in 1995, as a magnitude 7.3, which resulted in 6.5 thousand people were killed.
The city of Kobe was then almost completely destroyed, 43.5 thousand people were injured, 300 thousand people were evacuated. It is believed that the head of the cause of damage was the unpreparedness of the city, its infrastructure and building codes to sudden seismic activity – the area was not considered earthquake-prone
In this sense, the destruction in Kumamoto do not go to any comparison of 20-year-old tragedy. – the necessary conclusions have been made and actions taken. At this hour it was reported 37 dead, 2 injured thousands and 100 thousands of evacuees. However, it is impossible to anticipate all. Reports on the destruction and landslides caused by the earthquake, coming from different parts of the Prefecture
The village of Minami-Aso. Life on the fault
A little-known until now the village of Minami-Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture on Saturday It attracted the attention of the whole country. It killed seven of the 28 people who were victims of the earthquake, four people are reported missing.
Demolished, more precisely, completely wiped out the 200-meter bridge over the river. Landslides buried under a few houses. 500 people spend the night approaching, being cut off from the world because of the collapse of the road.The first floor of an apartment building, where students lived Faculty of Agriculture University of Tokai, appeared flattened under the weight of the second floor and the roof. By evening, the rescuers managed to extract from the rubble of ten people, two more people were killed. Searching works continue
The cause terrible devastation in the small village is clearly visible from the helicopter:. Field before the destruction of homes crosses the crack. According to experts, here goes an active break of the earth’s crust, it was his movement and caused dire consequences.
“Give us drinking water!”
Written in large letters on a school yard in the city of Kumamoto inscription It is designed to help with the helicopter. Lack of water – a major problem in Kumamoto right now. Without water were more than 400 thousand families in the city.
The state television station NHK transmits information about where you can get drinking water, which is distributed with special self-defense force machines. Fountains of water, which can usually be found in Japanese cities everywhere in the street, “dried up” – all the water taken away people
Lack of water -. Not the only problem of the affected areas. More than 100 thousand families are still without electricity, as much – without gas. For humanitarian aid, blankets, food, huge queues. People silently and disciplined waiting when it is their turn, to thank, and go home.
Help
The Ministry of Defence, considering the scale of the disaster, decided to send here to Sunday 25 thousand employees of self-defense forces, it is more than 10 times the original number. In Kumamoto directed and transport warship “Osumi” carrying the humanitarian aid and food to 60 thousand people.
announcers central television channels are turning to the audience with an unusual appeal: “Take a look around to see if someone needs your help Pay attention to the elderly – they may silently suffer and feel embarrassed to ask for help Look out on the street, if you’re.. in evacuation centers – maybe you’ll see parents who do not dare to go inside, so as not to cause trouble to others, because they have children do not hesitate to contact strangers, say kind words to old men – they are tired and exhausted, take over the child’s hand. – he was scared. Talk to those who are close to you “.
not only earthquake: another disturbing night
Saturday earthquake occurred not only in Kumamoto, strong aftershocks of magnitude 5 3 marked in neighboring Oita Prefecture. Experts note that although the earthquake in Kumamoto and Oita are likely not related, area of distribution of aftershocks expanded and actually crossed the island of Kyushu in the west to the east. Just three days in the area was about 300 earthquakes.
On Saturday, there was an eruption and the volcano Aso, he threw a column of ash and smoke to a height of 100 meters. Meteorologists believe that the eruption also has nothing to do with a series of earthquakes, and continue to monitor the situation.But it seems that it is too early in Kumamoto say that the worst is behind us. On the night of Sunday, weather forecasters promise here heavy rains and squally wind. People in the areas of humanitarian assistance, along with food and blankets handed out canvas blue plastic tarps.
In the coming days in Kumamoto can drop more than 150 millimeters of precipitation. This will not only make life difficult for those who have damaged housing, but also bears a direct threat of new mudslides and avalanches of rock.
Of particular concern is the area of the village of Minami-Aso: the landslide came down on Saturday, painted admixture of black volcanic ash and hardened lava. Experts fear that a new landslide can turn into a real avalanche, if the pull with a volcanic stones and rocks.
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