Japan earthquake leaves nearly 26,500 households without water

Nearly 26,500 households remain without water in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu following a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck the area on July 28, local authorities said.

Affected areas are being supplied with water by tanker trucks, operated mainly by army units. Temporary toilets and washing facilities have also been set up in the affected areas, Caliber.Az reports via TASS.

Nearly 3,200 people are staying at 79 evacuation centers. The number has fallen by more than fourfold compared with the situation at the end of July.

According to official data, nearly 31,500 buildings were damaged in the prefecture as a result of the earthquake. About 1,300 of them were completely destroyed. Debris removal and cleanup operations are underway in the disaster zone, but the work is being hampered by extremely hot weather in Kumamoto.

The death toll from the earthquake stands at 39, while 26 local residents sustained serious injuries.

By Jeyhun Aghazada