Bangkok: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan to inspect the situation following last week's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which has killed at least 38 people. During his visit to the affected area, the Japanese Prime Minister assessed the damage, offered encouragement to victims at evacuation centers, and held meetings with local officials. He stated that the government's top priority is to ensure the continuous supply of water to hospitals and nursing homes, and that he aims to inform the public about the timeline for the overall water supply restoration as soon as possible.

According to Thai News Agency, Japanese Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara revealed that the Cabinet meeting had approved the use of 24.2 billion yen (approximately 5.5 billion baht) from the national reserve budget for relief efforts and assistance to victims of the earthquake. The latest earthquake damage reports that more than 3,800 homes have been damaged, and approximately 8,500 people have been evacuated. Meanwhile, more than 46,000 households and businesses remain without running water because the tremors damaged the main water pipes connecting the dam to the water treatment plants.

In addition to the damage from the earthquake, Kumamoto City is also facing a heatwave crisis, with temperatures in Hitoyoshi and Asagiri soaring to new record highs of over 39 degrees Celsius, while Kumamoto City itself reached 38 degrees Celsius and is expected to rise to a dangerous level of 40 degrees Celsius. The extremely hot weather has led officials to express concerns about the risk of heatstroke. The governor of Kumamoto Prefecture revealed that one of the fatalities was a woman in her 70s who had to evacuate to her car and is believed to have died from heatstroke due to the intense heat during the evacuation.

To alleviate the hardship, local governments have expedited the installation of mobile toilet containers in some areas and dispatched approximately 30 rotating shower units to various evacuation centers. These units utilize a system capable of filtering and disinfecting water, allowing for up to 98% reuse. Meanwhile, authorities have issued warnings urging the public to strictly adhere to heatstroke prevention measures.