Photo/Illutration Workers survey a construction site for emergency temporary housing in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Jan. 12. (Kenta Sujino)

Ishikawa Governor Hiroshi Hase is calling for the temporary evacuation of all residents from villages isolated by the Noto Peninsula earthquake due to the inability to reopen roads and to prevent disaster-related deaths. 

At a news conference on Jan. 12, Hase said he hopes to move the evacuees to secondary evacuation centers utilizing hotels and inns located south of Kanazawa and also outside the prefecture.

“We are trying to persuade them to move the entire village to a secondary shelter, or at any rate, to leave,” the governor said.

In addition, at the prefectural government's disaster response headquarters' staff meeting, Hase promised residents that they will "definitely" return their hometowns.

"It may take a few months, but I promise I will bring you all back," he said. "Please don't stay in sub-zero temperatures."

As of Nov. 11, there were still 23,650 evacuees in 400 locations in 13 cities and towns. There were 14 isolated communities in Wajima, six in Suzu and two in Noto town.

The number of people to be affected by this “moving” policy was estimated to be approximately 2,300 in 22 districts, including Wajima and Suzu.

The death toll from the New Year's Day quake confirmed by prefectural officials rose to 215 on Jan. 12, up two from the previous day.

Regarding the availability of “secondary shelters,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a news conference on Jan. 12 that the central government has secured accommodations for approximately 12,000 people in the three major metropolitan areas--namely, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

In the four prefectures in Hokuriku region, including Ishikawa, and in the three neighboring prefectures of Nagano, Gifu and Shiga, Hayashi said the government has secured accommodations for up to about 13,000 people.

“We will do our utmost to back up the affected municipalities so that the most appropriate secondary evacuation site will be selected based on the wishes and conditions of each individual victim,” Hayashi said.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered that disaster victims be moved to emergency housing in anticipation of a prolonged evacuation, during the central government’s emergency disaster response headquarters’ meeting.

Kishida said the government has secured about 300 public housing units in Ishikawa Prefecture and 900 units in the other three Hokuriku prefectures for immediate occupancy.

Private rental housing is also available, with about 5,500 units in Ishikawa Prefecture and 17,000 units in the other three Hokuriku prefectures.

There are concerns that victims will be unable to receive support information when they leave their familiar surroundings and there are also concerns about the security of their homes after they depart.

Kishida called for stronger patrols, urging officials to “give sufficient consideration to ensuring cooperation among relevant organizations and groups to prevent (evacuees) from becoming lonely and isolated in unfamiliar environments.”

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