Foreign Ministry confirms 455 Thais safe after Kumamoto quake
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry says all 455 Thai residents in Kumamoto are safe, although some face utility cuts or have moved to shelters
All 455 Thai nationals known to be living in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture are safe following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck the region on Tuesday afternoon, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed.
Jaithai Upakarnitikaset, director-general of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, reported that the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Fukuoka had contacted Thai communities in the affected area.
No Thai casualties or serious injuries had been reported, she added.
The earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28, with its epicentre in the town of Hikawa. Tremors were felt across a wide area, including Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Miyazaki, Oita and Yamaguchi prefectures.
Transport and utilities disrupted
The earthquake caused widespread damage and disrupted public services and infrastructure.
Public transport, conventional railway services and high-speed trains were suspended on several routes, while Kumamoto Airport temporarily halted operations.
Electricity and water supplies were also disrupted in several areas.
Some Thai residents experienced temporary cuts to electricity, water and gas imposed as a safety precaution. Several had moved to evacuation centres in line with advice from local authorities.
The ministry reported no serious effects on Thai nationals living in other prefectures where the tremors were felt.
Thai nationals requiring assistance can contact the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Fukuoka on 090-2585-3027.
