Disability News Japan Podcast: Concerns Grow for Elderly as Deaths from Indirect Causes after Quake Increase

By Barrier Free Japan

January 12 2024

ISHIKAWA – The death toll in Ishikawa Prefecture from a huge earthquake that struck central Japan’s Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day has risen to 206, the prefectural government said Wednesday.

Of the total, eight died of indirect causes related to the earthquake, including exhaustion and poor health during evacuation. As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, the number of people still unaccounted for stood at 52.

The Japanese government plans to focus more on preventing deaths from indirect causes, rushing to move evacuees, especially elderly people, from stopgap shelters to more livable accommodation out of concern about deteriorating sanitary conditions.

According to Jiji, on January 11th 2024, the “Japanese government designated the massive New Year’s Day earthquake in the Noto Peninsula as a disaster of extreme severity in an effort to promote the reconstruction of affected areas.” 

Episode Notes: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/01/11/death-toll-in-central-japan-quake-rises-to-206-8-deaths-due-to-indirect-causes-related-to-the-earthquake/