Suga: Govt. stepping up rescue efforts

Jul 06, 2017 | News On Japan

Jul 06, 2017 (NHK) - Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the Japanese government is doing all it can to rescue people and assess the damage from the downpours in northern Kyushu.

Suga said at a news conference Thursday morning that 7,800 police officers, firefighters and Self-Defense Forces personnel are working closely with prefectural and municipal officials in the affected areas.

He said 40 helicopters are on stand-by, and that some of them are making aerial assessment of the damage whenever the skies clear.

He said SDF personnel have arrived at the stranded village of Toho in Fukuoka Prefecture to rescue residents and make roads passable.

Suga added that 5,000 more SDF personnel are ready to be deployed to the region.

He explained the government has a system in place to immediately deliver relief supplies to where they're needed.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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