Category: Earthquake

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 29, 2025 Number of comments0
Earthquake Japan Mental Health Tsunami

Miyagi Mental Care Center to Close 14 Years after 2011 Disaster

A northeastern Japan facility that has provided mental care for about 14 years to people affected by the March 2011 powerful earthquake and tsunami is set to finish its services at the end of this month. The Miyagi Disaster Mental Health Care Center, located in Sendai, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture, part of the areas afflicted by the disaster, had offered consultations for about 63,000 cases by early this month. After its closure, local governments in the prefecture will provide the services.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 23, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Disasters Earthquake Elderly Japan Podcast Typhoon

Barely more than 10% of municipalities in Japan have created evacuation plans for individual elderly and disabled persons [Podcast Episode]

Individual evacuation plans are plans that determine in advance where and how elderly and disabled people who have difficulty evacuating on their own will evacuate in the event of a disaster. It has been four years since municipalities became obligated to create individual evacuation plans, but a national summary has revealed that only just over 10% of municipalities have created plans for most of the residents who are eligible. It has been a legal obligation for all municipalities for the past four years.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 22, 2025 2
Disability Disasters Earthquake Elderly Japan Typhoon

Barely more than 10% of municipalities in Japan have created evacuation plans for individual elderly and disabled persons

Individual evacuation plans are plans that determine in advance where and how elderly and disabled people who have difficulty evacuating on their own will evacuate in the event of a disaster. It has been four years since municipalities became obligated to create individual evacuation plans, but a national summary has revealed that only just over 10% of municipalities have created plans for most of the residents who are eligible. It has been a legal obligation for all municipalities for the past four years.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 11, 2025 Number of comments0
Disasters Earthquake Japan March 11

Some 27,600 Evacuees Remain 14 Years after Monster Quake

About 27,600 people still live as evacuees 14 years after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and monster tsunami caused tremendous disasters, including a nuclear accident, mainly in the Tohoku region, northeastern Japan. As of Feb. 1, 27,615 afflicted people had yet to return home, the Reconstruction Agency said. The earthquake occurred off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture at 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, measuring 7, the highest on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, in the prefecture while jolting the country almost entirely.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 20, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Disasters Earthquake Elderly Japan Typhoon

Japan sees 5,400 deaths from post-disaster fatigue, stress since 1995

More than 5,400 people died in Japan over the past 30 years due to severe stress and exhaustion caused by evacuation following earthquakes and other natural disasters, according to a recent tally by Kyodo News. At least 5,456 “disaster-related deaths” have been recognized since local governments began such designation following the Great Hanshin Earthquake in western Japan on Jan. 17, 1995, with the figure including deaths linked to the Noto Peninsula quake last year.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 18, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Disasters Earthquake Japan Nankai Trough

Japan Raises Nankai Trough Megaquake Probability to Some 80 Percent

The Japanese government’s Earthquake Research Committee has increased its assessed probability of an earthquake with a magnitude of 8 to 9 occurring along the Nankai Trough off the country’s Pacific coast within the next 30 years to some 80 pct from 70-80 pct, officials said. When a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Monday, the panel at the time concluded that Monday’s earthquake was not a phenomenon that could be considered to have relatively increased the possibility of a Nankai Trough earthquake occurring compared with normal times.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 8, 2025 Number of comments0
2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake Care Disability Earthquake Elderly Japan

Ishikawa Prefecture Investigates Deaths of Elderly from “indirect causes” One Year After Noto Earthquake [Podcast Episode]

Concerns have been raised about the deaths of elderly people who died of “indirect causes” after they were evacuated, dying at care facilities. Jiji Press reported that as of Wednesday 25th December 2024 that “22 of 176 elderly evacuees from Ishikawa had died at elderly care facilities or elsewhere in Toyama, according to the Toyama Prefectural Government. In Aichi, 16 of 68 such evacuees died at care facilities or hospitals.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 5, 2025 1
2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake Disability Disasters Earthquake Elderly Japan

Ishikawa Prefecture Investigates Deaths of Elderly from “indirect causes” One Year After Noto Earthquake

Concerns have been raised about the deaths of elderly people who died of “indirect causes” after they were evacuated, dying at care facilities. Jiji Press reported that as of Wednesday 25th December 2024 that “22 of 176 elderly evacuees from Ishikawa had died at elderly care facilities or elsewhere in Toyama, according to the Toyama Prefectural Government. In Aichi, 16 of 68 such evacuees died at care facilities or hospitals.”