No.56 Support for areas affected by the Kumamoto earthquake

Following a magnitude 6.5 seismic intensity 7 earthquake recorded in Mashiki Town, Kumamoto Prefecture at 9:26 p.m. on April 14, 2016, a magnitude 7.3 seismic intensity 7 was recorded in Mashiki Town and Nishihara Village at 1:25 a.m. on the 16th. The main shock occurred. The unprecedented earthquake, which recorded a seismic intensity of 7 on the Japanese intensity scale for the second time in just two days, caused great damage to the Kumamoto region.
Immediately after the disaster, the city prepared its emergency fire support team to gather information, and the next morning it held its first earthquake information liaison meeting to share information within the city. Because this earthquake occurred in a remote area, there was no request for the emergency fire aid team or DMAT (Disaster Dispatch Medical Team), but they were able to carry out disaster relief supplies, collect donations, and carry out necessary activities. We have decided to dispatch staff.
Transportation of relief supplies had been postponed due to the difficulty of transporting them by land due to the closure of railways and roads immediately after the disaster, but on the 19th, we were able to arrange for a truck to be delivered, and the supplies were delivered to Kumamoto City and Uto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. We sent relief supplies. On the following day, on the 21st, we were able to arrange a rail container and sent relief supplies to Beppu City, Oita Prefecture. Afterwards, on the 24th, relief supplies were sent to Uto City again, and city staff volunteers held relief fund-raising activities at various stations in the city, as well as ``emergency risk assessment of disaster-stricken buildings'' and ``issuance of disaster certificates.'' City employees were dispatched locally for necessary work, including "administrative work" and "disaster support nurses."
The destinations to which we delivered supplies are all member cities of the National Association of Young Mayors, of which I am an alumnus. At one point, there was information that the reception of relief supplies would be suspended in the disaster-stricken areas, but the reason was not because there were enough supplies, but because the local receiving and sorting system was insufficient. , supplies were in short supply in some areas. I believe that the fact that we were able to contact these cities, confirm their requests, and then send them the necessary items was due to the collaboration between the local governments that have established a direct cooperative system.
After a certain period of time has elapsed after a disaster, it is necessary for the national and prefectural governments to consolidate information and organize traffic, such as unifying support desks, but during the chaotic period immediately after a disaster, local governments must establish a direct support system. I have reaffirmed the importance of having this in place for smooth mutual interaction. As with the Great East Japan Earthquake, the damage caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake is expected to take a long time to recover from, and Inagi City will continue to provide necessary support.
It is said that disasters come when we have forgotten about them, but lately it seems like we are often affected by the next natural disaster before we can even remember the previous one. Please take this opportunity to reconfirm your household's preparations for an earthquake directly hitting the Tokyo metropolitan area.

(Published in the July 15, 2016 issue of Koho Inagi)