Society

Towns jolted by quake brace for bad weather

Feb 15 (NHK) - People in parts of Japan are still assessing the damage from Saturday's powerful earthquake which injured more than 150 people. Now they're bracing for more pain...with weather officials forecasting that heavy rain and winds could trigger landslides.

The jolt was powerful enough in Miyagi Prefecture's Yamamoto Town to rupture pipes and cut water supplies to some areas.

Authorities have set up three water stations as a stopgap measure. A local woman said, "How can I flush my toilet? I didn't think we'd get such a big earthquake again."

The quake has also affected public transport. The operator of the Tohoku Shinkansen Line has suspended services between Nasushiobara Station and Morioka Station. It's likely to be another 10 days before operations resume.

A bus company has put on extra services to compensate.

The temblor caused extensive damage to homes across Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture. Many residents have been forced to use tarps provided by the city to protect their houses.

A local man said, "A big part of my roof collapsed...and it's raining...so water may get in."

Officials with the Meteorological Agency say that rough weather is on the way. They say a downpour could increase the risk of landslides...especially in places where the earthquake has loosened the ground.

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