A forest fire that broke out Feb. 26 in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, has spread across about 1,200 hectares, the city government said Feb. 28.
The blaze has led to the discovery of a burned body and is believed to have consumed 84 buildings.
The size of the fire is the biggest in Japan since the start of the Heisei Era in 1989, outstripping the 1,030-hectare fire that occurred in Kushiro, Hokkaido, in 1992, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
As of Feb. 28, the Ofunato city government has issued evacuation orders for 4,263 people in 1,755 households. “I think (my house) is done for,” said Akemi Kumagai, a 67-year-old who evacuated to a community center. “I have given up.
“The fire broke out just when I had returned to normal life after the 2011 earthquake and I was feeling relieved,” Kumagai went on. “It’s frustrating, but we have no choice but to move forward.”
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Feb. 28 instructed fire authorities and the Self-Defense Forces to work together to bring the blaze under control as swiftly as possible. He also called for securing evacuation centers and promoting efforts to rebuild people’s lives. (Jiji)
毎週届く！
