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The communities in Kumamoto continued to experience widespread damage in various areas, including power outages, water shortages, suspension of train and highway services, and collapsed buildings. The full extent of the damage is yet to known. On July 28, Civic Force transported relief supplies from the storage warehouse in Saga Prefecture and has been continuing emergency relief activities in Hikawa Town hard hit by the earthquake.

*Activities on 7/29 (YouTube)

An earthquake with a seismic intensity of 7 struck Hikawa Town (a population of just over 10,000) and the entire town is without water and widespread power outages continue. Four evacuation centers were opened across Hikawa Town the day after the earthquake struck. As of July 30, damage to houses and other buildings included 125 completely destroyed, 138 partially destroyed, and 616 with minor damage, and the number of damaged buildings is expected to increase further.

As Hikawa Town Hall staff and school officials prepared for the opening of evacuation centers, Civic Force collaborated with local governments, other non-profit organizations, and the Saga Disaster Relief Network (SPF) to support the setup and operation of the centers. On the evening of July 29, the team delivered two portable power supplies and 4,000 portable toilets to Ryuhoku West Elementary School. In addition, to help the evacuees stay as comfortable as possible in the scorching heat, the team installed multiple spot coolers in the school gymnasium. 160 pre-distributed heatstroke prevention kits were also provided  at the reception area.

On July 30, the team visited four evacuation centers and delivered freezers to help with heat countermeasures, beverages, 15 cases of toilet paper, diapers, sanitary products, underwear, and T-shirts. At some of the evacuation centers, the distribution team also sorted and organized the supplies to ensure they were distributed smoothly.

One male evacuee said with a smile, "I spent the night in my car, but I kept turning the engine on and off and opening the windows to save gasoline...it was so hot. I'm just grateful to have air conditioning." At some shelters, evacuees also expressed their gratitude, saying, "We really wanted a freezer, but we never thought we'd be able to get one. We're so thankful."

Since there was no bedding at the Ryuhoku West Elementary School evacuation center, the staff consulted with the principal and distributed mats from the gymnasium to each room. One evacuee who received a mat said, "I thought it would be enough just to be able to stretch out my legs and sleep, but thank you for bringing the mats as well." However, with the evacuation expected to be prolonged, it is necessary to prepare supplies that take into consideration the physical condition of each evacuee.

Civic Force is continuing to gather information on the damage and needs in Yatsushiro City, which, like Hikawa Town, suffered extensive damage, and provide them with necessary support.

2026 Kumamoto Earthquake Response

Japan Post

Account Number: 00140-6-361805

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