6 and a half years later in Fukushima

September 11, 2017

Japan marks 6 and half years since 3/11 disaster

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20170911_02/

Monday marks 6 and a half years since a major earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11th, 2011.

The National Police Agency confirmed that the disaster has left 18,440 people dead or missing. The Reconstruction Agency says more than 3,500 others died in shelters or from disaster-related causes.

Data provided by authorities of 3 hardest-hit prefectures show that over 20,000 people are still living in temporary housing. Iwate has 8,142 such evacuees; Miyagi 7,148; Fukushima 6,210.

The total number declined about 30 percent from the figure as of the end of March this year.

NHK learned that 828 households in temporary housing were urged to move elsewhere due to a fall in tenant numbers.

The figure could grow as an increasing number of landowners are asking for the return of land used for temporary homes amid progress in reconstruction efforts.

Some evacuees from more than 20 municipalities in the 3 prefectures will likely have to continue living in temporary housing next year and beyond.

This is partly because residential land development on high ground is still underway to allow such evacuees to live in communities. Evacuation orders are also still in place in some areas due to the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Residents' associations in temporary housing communities are disbanding because of decreasing numbers of tenants. Evacuees urged to move to other temporary housing are under great stress.