Quake Damage Still Affecting Residents in Northern Osaka

June 20, 2018

Osaka- The damage caused by Monday's powerful earthquake continued to affect the lives of residents in northern areas of Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on Tuesday.

Water services have been restored almost completely in the prefecture, while gas supply remained halted at some 112,000 households.

Residents in disaster-hit areas rushed to fix houses damaged by the quake to avoid a secondary disaster as heavy rain was forecast to start Tuesday night.

The municipal government of Takatsuki in northern Osaka recognized the death of a 66-year-old man as related to the 6.1-magnitude quake. He was found dead Tuesday morning buried under magazines in his home.

As a result, the death toll from the temblor, which occurred Monday morning, has risen to five. Four of the five were found dead Monday due to direct causes, including a nine-year-old girl crushed under a collapsed wall.

Work to restore gas supply is expected to continue until Monday.

According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, the quake left 408 people injured in Osaka and five nearby prefectures, damaging 515 houses. Some 1,600 people are still taking shelter at evacuation centers. Jiji Press