Japan Has Unsettled Supply Chains; Survivors Wait In Line For Food

Kyushu Island in Japan was struck by a strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake last late Thursday. This was followed by the biggest hit near the Kumamoto City on Saturday. There were about 42 people who were killed, and major companies were forced to close their factories. Survivors queued for food as they were unable to return home yet.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that they were still people who were missing, and they would make efforts to rescue and save the people. He further said that they prioritized human lives and declared the region a disaster zone at the moment.

According to News Daily, the Japanese market fell over 3 percent on Monday. The Nikkei stock index had 3.4 percent lower. Major companies such as Honda, Sony and Toyota were closed, disrupting the supply chains across the nation.

There are food shortages as some roads remained closed due to landslides. "Yesterday, I ate just one piece of tofu and a rice ball," said the mayor of one of the places affected by the quake. He further said that they were worried about food.

The Kumamoto airport was damaged, and all commercial flights were cancelled. The bullet train service of the region was also suspended.

According to CBC News, the Japanese media reported that about almost 200,000 homes were without electricity. The water system also failed. As seen in the news footage, the people were nestled in blankets on the floor of evacuation centers.

Japan's only operating nuclear station is located in Kumamoto region. It is declared safe. The region is also known as the manufacturing hub. The Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga explained that the government will take necessary measures to support the companies that were affected by the calamity. This includes collecting $3.24 billion into the reserve funds.

The Kumamoto officials declared 42 people dead and 9 still missing. There were also 190 people who are in serious condition while 110,000 people have been evacuated.