ReliefWeb

The magnitude-6.5 foreshock at 9:26 p.m. on April 14 and the magnitude-7.3 main shock at 1:25 a.m. on April 16 have caused great damages in Kumamoto Prefecture as well as in neighboring Oita Prefecture. Even though there are fewer aftershocks now, the surviving residents are still spending sleepless nights in uncertainty.

Conditions as of April 30

Thus far, 66 persons have died and one person is still missing. 17 people who survived the main quake lost their lives post-earthquakedue to deterioration of injuries and illnesses caused by physical strain of evacuation. 1,559 casualties have been reported, and 23,246 people remain evacuated.

Aso Region in Central Kumamoto Prefecture experienced great destruction, and in Mashiki Town (of Kamimashiki County), 15% of the residents are still evacuated. As aftershocks continue, number of evacuees increase in the evenings out of concern for further structural damage Many evacuees continue to sleep in their vehicles. Some houses have been fully destroyed where residents are unable to return home. As temporary housing units will only be built in June at the earliest, evacuation is expected to last long term.

NGOs mobilized in the JPF Emergency Response to Earthquake in Kyushu (as of April 30):

Based on the initial response efforts, and using contributions by corporate, organizational, and individual donors, our member NGOs’ relief activities are being funded on a rolling basis as we determine grant provision for their relief actions.

• Peace Winds Japan (PWJ)

• Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR)

• Japan Asian Association & Asian Friendship Society (JAFS)

• Japan Emergency Network (JEN)

• Japan Association for Refugees (JAR)

• Wakachiai Project (WP)

• Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA)