2,500 People Still Evacuated 1 Month after Kumamoto Quake

Kumamoto, Aug. 28 (Jiji Press)--Nearly 2,500 people are still staying in evacuation centers amid scorching heat one month after a powerful earthquake hit the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto.

While efforts toward recovery and reconstruction are underway, challenges remain numerous, with water supply still disrupted in some areas.

According to the Kumamoto prefectural government's disaster response headquarters, 38 people were confirmed dead as a result of the July 28 quake, and 33 remained seriously injured, as of 2 p.m. Thursday. Two of the deaths are believed to have been disaster-related, stemming from factors such as heatstroke.

The number of evacuees has fallen to 2,460 at 61 shelters in 11 municipalities, down sharply from 10,467 at 415 shelters as of July 30.

Each municipality is also working to identify people sheltering at home or in their vehicles through door-to-door visits and other efforts.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]