Jan 18 (NHK) - Japan is marking the 23rd anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that hit the western port city of Kobe and the surrounding areas.
The earthquake on January 17th, 1995, killed 6,434 people. The figure includes those who died of health problems related to their lives as evacuees.
In a park in Kobe, bamboo lanterns have been arranged to show the date of the earthquake.
Survivors and bereaved families lit the lanterns and offered silent prayers on Wednesday at 5:46 AM, the exact time the quake struck.
As of last November, about 32,000 survivors were living in public housing. More than half of them were 65 or older.
Local authorities have been sending caregivers to monitor the health of these elderly residents. But the fund that pays for this service is expected to run out of money soon.
Source: ANNnewsCH
