Society

Drones Deliver Essential Supplies to Isolated Villages

Ishikawa, Jan 17 (News On Japan) - With roads still blocked due to landslides following the Noto Peninsula earthquake, making it impossible for vehicles to pass, drones are being utilized to deliver essential supplies in disaster-stricken areas.

As of January 15, two weeks after the earthquake, 176 people in eight districts of Wajima City remain isolated.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces are distributing supplies to people in isolated villages, but manpower is limited. In light of this, a new initiative using drones to deliver support materials is being implemented.

Essential supplies such as light oil for generators are being delivered by drone to evacuation centers, including a primary school located several kilometers away.

A drone operator commented, "We are transporting goods in response to a request from the Ground Self-Defense Forces. While a human bucket brigade requires many people, with drones, we can transport items with less than one-tenth of the manpower, so we are utilizing that."

The initiative to deliver supplies via drones, including medication for elderly residents with chronic illnesses, is said to be the first of its kind in Japan during a disaster. Sixteen days after the earthquake, further use of drones in the affected areas is anticipated.

by Brian Dentry

Source: MBS NEWS

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