Cold weather hits evacuees after deadly quake in Hokkaido

At the facility, residents had slept on blankets directly placed on the cold floor until Monday when beds made of cardboard were brought in.

Good god. Reminds me of stories earlier this summer about evacuees sweltering in shelters b/c apparently a developed nation didn't feel the need to install air conditioners in shelters or transport people to places providing basic comfort--this during the worst heatwave in history. Now Hokkaido and a lack of heaters. Even if there's no power, the municipalities affected, the prefecture or the national government cannot procure enough kerosene heaters? Or matting for the floors or enough blankets?

wow, one natural disaster curve ball after the other. The earth's really not treating Japan well this year

jcapan: "Good god. Reminds me of stories earlier this summer about evacuees sweltering in shelters b/c apparently a developed nation didn't feel the need to install air conditioners in shelters or transport people to places providing basic comfort--this during the worst heatwave in history. "

Wasn't going to say it quite like that, but you beat me to it. Those people got double hit with the heatwave after the storm, and now these people are getting hit by a cold wave. I have to say, though, much better this than the heat wave. You can get warm, even if it's sitting by a fire of debris. You canNOT cool down by natural means in a horrible heat wave. Hope these people can seek shelter and bundle up.

I am very sorry about the sad deaths of so many including many elders it is more fitting to speak with sympathy for them than to criticize the authorities who I feel are doing all they can. It is not easy to organize relief ....and i am glad they have shelters and will be able to be taken care of until clean up can be done. It was worse than expected the landslides look very bad from photographs. It has been a tough year for many all over, things from Nature cannot be known ahead.

That is a heart warming picture of cooperation and perseverance. They will be stronger through all this.

A heat wave in Hokkaido or Tohoku is of an entirely different order from the trying conditions in the hotter parts of the country starting early July and extending through until the end of August.

Well I do hope it warms up enough for anyone who doesn’t have a warm place to sleep.

Why is there not enough places for residents to keep warm? What if this happened in the winter in Hokkaido? Being cold isnt an opinion then its life or death.

That photo sure makes me feel thankful for my home.

Lovely photo and break your heart when thinking about sufferings the disasters caused to them. Japantoday always have good photos, very unique. The govt has to spend much more money for the safety and happiness of the people in facing natural disasters.

If the community centers there are as poorly built as the ones I've seen on Honshu, I can't imagine them being very comfortable. It is also very poor if they are cold at this time of year, given that it can easily get hypothermia cold in Hokkaido in winter. In Nagano, most public buildings are heated with forced-flue kerosene fan heaters that cannot run without electricity. You'd have to rig up a generator to use them when the regular power goes down. They are useless otherwise.

Tough year for Japan hope better days will come and bring them smile.

I'm out of supplies but luckily for the US military members who came by to help I was able to help for 5 more days..Bless these guys who brought, blankets, food, air mattresses, water, flashlights, tents, heaters, and inverters, some went and bought fuel cans with fuel from their own money and wanted nothing in return...The didnt' even give their names...they just came helped and left.

In now the temperature of Hokkaido continue below zero.L worry heaters are enough for the people of disaster area.