after the New Year’s earthquake in Japan, entire neighborhoods still isolated from the world

“From there, the road is cut. There are lots of houses crooked, half sunken, they are ruined…” At the wheel of his yellow taxi, septuagenarian Tanaka has already traveled several times through the Nishiaraya disaster area, in the Ishikawa department, south of the Noto peninsula. He knows how to make his way on a road that is broken here, sunken there, warped. “In such a state, all you have to do is evacuate. Normally, the school serves as a refuge, but it is in a bad state”he laments.

“Soil liquefaction”

The damage is ultimately more significant than expected, after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake which devastated this peninsula in west-central Japan. The toll now stands at 203 dead and 68 missing. In Nishiaraya, entire neighborhoods remain isolated, some still without water or electricity. Viruses are also circulating in evacuation centers where there have already been eight deaths.

The ground gave way under the buildings, and roads bent, rising several meters in places. Here, no deaths, but major material damage: “If it had only been the effects of the tremors, the situation would not be so horrible, but there was a liquefaction of the soil. Only the parts of the city where the basement is full of water have suffered damage”explains an elected official from the municipal assembly.

However, only 132 residents agreed to join a shelter, while nearly a thousand houses are affected, according to a town hall official. “There are people who do not want to go to shelters, and who stay at home”he said.

Despite this, the main refuge is close. But the promiscuity is still there. We sleep on blankets spread on the ground. There are only a few cardboard beds. There are mainly elderly people there, who kill time by chatting, sleeping, watching television. “This is the first time we’ve experienced this”explains one of them.

How many years will the life of evacuees last that the municipality will offer them? It all comes down to question marks. They admit to being aware of the importance of prevention and their lack of preparation. However, municipalities issue risk cards. But not everyone takes this into account. What’s more, this time, soils that were supposed to escape this phenomenon also liquefied.