Photo/Illutration Volunteers load broken furniture and other debris on the back of a small truck in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Feb. 3. (Nobuhiro Shirai)

SUZU, Ishikawa Prefecture--The first volunteers selected from the public began work here to help clear homes of debris in this city hard hit by the Jan. 1 earthquake.

Fourteen volunteers from in and outside Ishikawa Prefecture helped to carry fallen interior walls and damaged furniture to temporary waste storage sites on Feb. 3.

“I am glad I could finally come to help, seeing as a month has already passed,” said Kazumi Yoshida, 48, from Gifu Prefecture.

Daiki Yasumura, 35, a student at Kanazawa University’s school of medicine, said, “I’ve traveled to Suzu many times because I love its scenery, so I wanted to pitch in any way I can.”

The volunteers left the prefectural capital of Kanazawa early in the morning for the four-hour bus journey to Suzu, located at the northern tip of the Noto Peninsula.

They had to return after the day’s activities due to a lack of accommodation.

They were selected from individuals who registered on a prefectural website in advance.

About 20 volunteers also helped in the town of Naka-Noto for the first time on Feb. 3.

The prefectural government has asked members of the public to refrain from arriving unannounced in disaster areas, citing the limited accommodation and toilet facilities.

On Jan. 27, Nanao, Anamizu and Shika became the first municipalities to accept volunteers recruited by the prefectural government. Wajima plans to follow suit from Feb. 10.

A prefectural official said it will take a while before volunteers are accepted in larger numbers because roads remain severed roads and the water supply has not been restored in many parts of the Noto Peninsula.

(This article was written by Naoki Nakayama and Yoshito Asakura.)

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