As of the evening of July 29, the powerful earthquakes striking Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture have left 18 people dead (including cases classified as "cardiopulmonary arrest"), 62 injured, and nearly 10,000 people evacuated from their homes. China has expressed close attention to the disaster, offering condolences and sympathy. The Chinese Consulate General in Fukuoka said it has so far received no reports of Chinese citizens killed or injured in the quakes.
Amid the tragedy, heartwarming moments have also surfaced. Mr. Song, a Chinese resident living in Fukuoka, told reporters that he had made two round trips to Kumamoto overnight, offering free rides to compatriots from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan—including Mr. Chan and his family from Hong Kong. "I'm just doing my small part to help those in need," Song said.
Following a magnitude-7.1 mainshock and nearly 200 aftershocks, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported another magnitude-5.8 earthquake in Kumamoto on the evening of July 29. According to the Associated Press, as of that evening, the quakes had killed 18 people, including a Vietnamese national, and injured at least 62 others, six of them seriously. The tremors caused widespread water and power outages and disrupted transportation, forcing more than 9,800 people to flee their homes. Scorching heat in the disaster zone has complicated rescue efforts.
The large shopping complex "Aeon Mall" in Kashima Town exploded and collapsed after the quake. On July 29, police released images showing the mall's interior in utter disarray. Aeon President Akio Yoshida said four people died inside the mall and three others remain missing. He said that after the earthquake, about 3,000 customers were evacuated to the parking lot when an explosion suddenly occurred in another part of the building; the cause remains unknown. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on July 29 that fire and police personnel at the explosion site "smelled gas inside the building" during their search. Japanese experts suggested that violent shaking may have damaged gas equipment, causing a leak that ignited and triggered the blast.
At a paper mill owned by Nippon Paper Group in Yatsushiro City, a chimney snapped and collapsed during the quake, killing five people, with four others still trapped in the rubble.
Compatriots Lend a Hand, Hong Kong Family Rescued
Mr. Song, a Chinese national who has lived in Fukuoka for 16 years, told reporters that on the night of the earthquake, he and two friends drove to Kumamoto to offer free rides to stranded travelers. Normally, the drive from Fukuoka to Kumamoto takes about two hours, but due to ongoing aftershocks and traffic jams, they did not return to Fukuoka until the next morning after picking up their second batch of passengers. Song transported about 20 people, including compatriots from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. He was particularly moved by the Chan family from Hong Kong.
Song recalled that Mr. Chan's child had been hit on the head by falling objects during the quake. "Though the injury was not severe, the child was really frightened," he said. "I saw them standing with their suitcases, looking helpless. They were delighted to learn we were offering free rides, but my car was already full. A Taiwanese couple saw the injured child and voluntarily gave up their seats so they could go first." Song said he was deeply touched by the mutual support among compatriots in that moment. "Mr. Chan kept trying to pay me, but I refused, and I didn't add his private contact info."
A Hong Kong woman traveling alone in Kumamoto posted on social media that she was shopping on the fourth floor of a mall when the earthquake hit, and the shaking was so violent that "she could not stand steady." She had planned a day trip and had not booked a hotel. When a Hong Kong family learned of her situation, they voluntarily offered her one of their two hotel rooms, making her "feel love" amid the terror in a foreign land.
Chinese Embassy Reminds Citizens to Guard Against Quake Hazards
The Chinese Embassy in Japan issued a notice on July 29 reminding Chinese citizens in Japan to take precautions against earthquake disasters. The Chinese Consulate General in Fukuoka said it has not received any reports of Chinese citizen casualties in the Kumamoto quakes so far; several Chinese nationals in Kumamoto have contacted the consulate for help and consultation, and the consulate is actively responding.
After the Kumamoto earthquakes, many Hong Kong residents planning to travel to or already in the area have inquired about travel insurance coverage. The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers said that if policyholders had already purchased travel insurance before the quakes, they may claim compensation for medical treatment or itinerary changes due to earthquake injuries. However, if travelers are in Japan but far from the epicenter and not directly affected, simply canceling or altering their current Japan trip out of fear would not be covered.
(Source: Ta Kung Pao)
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