The town of Shika in Ishikawa Prefecture was hit by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which measured a maximum seismic intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale. 5,800 houses in the town were completely or partially destroyed. Temporary housing is being constructed in the town, and AAR Japan (Association for Aid and Relief, Japan) is providing home appliances and daily necessities to the residents, and is also preparing to provide support to voluntary shelters.

Driving through the town of Shika, located on the western coast of the Noto Peninsula, one can see the severity of the damage, with houses with crushed first floors along the road and old temples that have been completely destroyed left untouched. The town has a population of about 18,000 and there is Hokuriku Electric Power Company’s Shika Nuclear Power Plant(currently shut down). Two people, including a 5-year-old boy, died in the earthquake, and buildings and roads were severely damaged, but media coverage has not been as extensive as in other cities and towns such as Wajima and Suzu.

In the Higashikomuro district of Shika Town (formerly named Tomirai Town), where about 100 people live, several private houses and storehouses were completely destroyed. Mr. Naganeo, the district head, said, “My daughter and grandchildren were returning home for New Year when the earthquake hit. On the 1st of January, we gathered at a local welfare facility and spent the night, and from the 2nd, we used the assembly hall as a voluntary evacuation center, which could accommodate up to 35 people. The district is home to many elderly people, but I am very glad that no one was harmed.” Fortunately, electricity was not cut off and water service was restored in about two weeks.”

The victims who initially evacuated have returned to their homes or moved to relatives’ houses, and there are currently about 15 people sleeping in the assembly hall. They go to a nearby designated evacuation center (disaster prevention center) to pick up meals delivered by the government. Bread is served in the morning, rice balls at lunchtime, and boxed lunches at night, and side dishes and soup are prepared and shared among residents who bring their own vegetables and fresh fish. On the other hand, there are many issues that the homebound evacuees face, such as the lack of public support.

In Shika Town, 97 prefabricated and trailer house temporary housing units have been built in three locations in the former Togi area near the coast. However, the number of houses is not sufficient for the number of people who wish to move in, and Mr. Naganeo said, “We have requested that 20 temporary houses be built in this area, including Higashi Komuro. We hope that the government will provide a clear road map for the recovery and reconstruction of Shika Town,” he said.

After consulting with Shika Town and other concerned parties to ascertain their support needs, AAR support team is preparing to provide home appliances and daily necessities to temporary housing residents, as well as support to voluntary evacuation centers, homebound evacuees, and local welfare facilities for people with disabilities. We would like to ask for your continued cooperation in AAR’s support for the victims of the Noto Peninsula earthquake.