Quake aftershocks batter Japan

THOUSANDS of people took refuge in shelters yesterday as aftershocks battered southern Japan a day after a powerful magnitude-7.0 earthquake damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, leaving one person dead and hundreds injured.

The temblor hit early today off Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu near Fukuoka city, and was followed by more than 110 aftershocks, giving the region’s residents a jittery night, the Meteorological Agency said.

The worst damage occurred on Genkai island, near the quake’s epicentre, with the quake triggering landslides and levelling homes.

In all, 780 homes were damaged and 18 destroyed - most of them on Genkai.

A 75-year-old woman in Fukuoka died after a section of stone wall fell on her. Hundreds of other people - mostly in Fukuoka and Saga prefectures were injured by toppling cabinets, falling objects and shattered glass. At least 400 people were treated at hospitals, public broadcaster NHK reported yesterday.

At least 20 people were seriously injured, police said.

The Meteorological Agency yesterday warned of a possible tsunami, but lifted the warning about an hour later.

About 120 Japanese troops flew to Genkai island to offer food and medical aid. Except for some local officials, all of the island’s 750 residents were evacuated to neighbouring Fukuoka city, prefectural official Eiji Tsukamoto said.

Meteorological Agency official Shinjiro Tani said there is a 10% chance of a magnitude-6.5 aftershock hitting the region within the next three days, warning of possible landslides in the area.

Police, defence troops and local officials toured Genkai to assess the damage.

“Many houses had collapsed, or may collapse any minute,” police official Kazuhiko Maekawa said.

“I must say we were lucky that the number of injuries were relatively small.”