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It has been four days since the strong earthquake struck Kumamoto, Japan. The 72-hour golden time window for rescuing survivors ended this afternoon (the 31st). Desperate search operations continued across various areas to find even one more person.
Correspondent Mun Junmo has the report.
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This is another piece of footage from the time of the explosion at the AEON Mall in Kumamoto.
People can be seen rushing out amid white smoke and debris.
[Video Contributor: Thanks to the staff's guidance, we were safe, and I was grateful. The staff member who passed away might have been someone I actually met, which (made me sad).]
At this AEON Mall, a joint rescue team of about 230 personnel, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and the Self-Defense Forces, carried out desperate search operations starting at 5:30 a.m. today.
They searched for traces of survivors using rescue dogs and checked every dark corner with flashlights.
Drones were deployed to hazardous areas.
Rescue workers participating in the search told the SBS reporting team that they were doing their absolute best.
[Inagaki Shuji / Hiroshima Fire Department Rescue Team Leader: We are searching by visually checking everything one by one. Although the 72-hour golden time window is running out, all team members are doing their utmost to rescue even one more person.]
Struggles to save rescued survivors are also ongoing.
A doctor helicopter landed at the Kumamoto Rosai Hospital near a Nippon Paper Industries plant where 11 employees were trapped and nine of them died.
This was to transport a severe patient.
Emergency medical staff dispatched from outside also lent a hand.
[Ando Makoto / Doctor at Kumamoto Rosai Hospital: We were struggling greatly due to a shortage of staff, but the dispatched medical personnel are proving to be a tremendous help.]
Village restoration work is also in full swing.
Collapsed houses are being lifted by cranes.
A 90-year-old man who lived in this house was ultimately found dead.
Extreme heat threatens the survival of residents.
To swiftly restore cut electricity and water supplies, damaged roads must be repaired first.
As you can see, this strong earthquake caused yards and roads to split completely apart, but restoration work is moving quickly even amid a 36°C (97°F) heatwave.
Amid scorching heat and the risk of additional collapses, the desperate struggle to find the very last person and reclaim daily life continues.
(Camera Reporter: Han Chul-min, Moon Hyun-jin | Video Editor: Kim Byung-jik)
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