Residents of quake-hit isle in southern Japan begin evacuating
TOSHIMA, Kagoshima Prefecture--Residents of Akusekijima island in the remote and sparsely populated Tokara chain began evacuating voluntarily early July 4 following a strong earthquake the evening before.
The southern Japan island chain has been hit by an earthquake swarm over the past two weeks. The latest temblor had a seismic intensity of lower 6 on the Japanese scale of 7.
Thirteen residents aged up to 80 years old from the village of Toshima boarded the regular ferry operated by the municipality and headed to Kagoshima Port some 250 kilometers away in Kagoshima.
More than 1,000 earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 1 or higher have been recorded in the Tokara island chain since June 21.
Village authorities decided to offer voluntary evacuation following the latest activity because residents were unable to sleep and 'increasingly stressed out.'
The ferry is scheduled to arrive at Kagoshima Port at 6:20 p.m.
The evacuees are scheduled to spend about a week at a hotel in Kagoshima. The accommodation was arranged by the village.
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