Two weeks after Kumamoto quake, over 6,000 remain in shelters

As of 6 p.m. Monday, 39 deaths had been confirmed following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake on July 28, which registered a maximum intensity of 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, according to the prefectural government’s disaster response headquarters.

Twenty-four people suffered serious injuries. The confirmed fatalities include one person whose death from possible heatstroke may have been linked to the disaster, while the deaths of two others are under investigation for possible connections to the earthquake.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned residents to remain alert for further earthquakes registering lower 5 or higher on Japan’s seismic intensity scale over the next month or so, citing continued strong seismic activity in the region.

Although the number of people hospitalized with heatstroke is declining, concern remains as daytime temperatures in the prefecture are expected to reach 35°C later this week, potentially posing health risks to evacuees.

The number of people staying in shelters has fallen significantly, from 10,467 at 415 facilities on July 30 to 6,092 at 97 shelters.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that more than 1,200 disaster relief volunteers had arrived in Japan’s quake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture since local municipalities began accepting volunteers this month.