YATSUSHIRO, Japan – The magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck southern Japan toppled houses and split open streets in the small city of Yatsushiro, but there was mounting concern about invisible threats from the lack of water and power amid the punishing summer heat.
Many of the port city’s roughly 58,000 households were still without running water or power on Thursday, July 30, two days since the quake hit Kumamoto prefecture killing at least 25 people.
Akio Matsushita, a local officialhelping lead relief efforts, said he had no idea whether it would take days, weeks or months to repair the badly damaged water mains.
“Because of the summer heat, the lack of water is especially difficult,” he said in the city hall.
With the city hall’s toilets out of order, officials erected emergency toilets over sewer manholes outside the building, in temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and stifling humidity.
