Earthquake Drill Held On Disaster Prevention Day
Japanese authorities staged a drill on Tuesday under the scenario of a major earthquake striking the country.
September 1 is Disaster Prevention Day in Japan. This day commemorates the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, which left more than 100,000 people dead in and around Tokyo.
This year's exercise assumed that a magnitude 9.1 quake occurred off the coast of Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, around 7 a.m.
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo began a news conference for the drill at 9 a.m. From his office in Tokyo, he declared a state of emergency and announced the creation of a disaster taskforce following reports of massive devastation of buildings, fires, and flooding caused by tsunami.
The prime minister said relevant agencies would fully support people in disaster-stricken areas in terms of restoration of key infrastructures and anti-coronavirus measures at shelters.
Abe called on people to turn on the TV or radio to stay updated and to help each other and act calmly. He also discouraged panic buying and other inappropriate acts to help minimize disaster-related confusion.
