Victims Of 2018 Hokkaido Quake Mourned
People in Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido are remembering the victims of a powerful earthquake that struck exactly two years ago. The quake left 44 people dead and 785 injured.
The town of Atsuma was hardest hit, with 37 deaths. Many of those who died were engulfed in massive mudslides triggered by the jolt.
About 100 people gathered in front of the town hall before dawn on Sunday. They lit one candle for each of the 37 victims. They stood around the candles and observed a moment of silence at 3:07 a.m., the exact time when the quake struck.
Paper candle stands carried messages of hope and renewed pledges to rebuild the town soon.
Town official Yoshida Yoshiyuki lost a colleague. He said two years have passed by so quickly. He says his sorrow over the loss of a colleague he respected is still raw. He says he and other town officials have renewed their commitment to work for the town.
Two years on, 631 people from 375 households in the three hard-hit towns live in temporary housing or other places away from home. They will gradually move to new public housing for disaster victims that is due to be completed next month.
