Kumamoto Pref. city recognizes 1st disaster-related death from July quake
KUMAMOTO (Kyodo) -- A city in Kumamoto Prefecture said Monday it had recognized the death of a woman in her 90s as the first disaster-related fatality
On Monday, the city of Yatsushiro in Kumamoto Prefecture acknowledged the passing of a 90-year-old woman as the first disaster-related fatality from the July 28 magnitude-7.1 earthquake. The total death toll from the quake now stands at 39, including two suspected victims of disaster-related causes.
The elderly woman's demise occurred within a month of the earthquake, following a decline in her physical function and swallowing ability. This deterioration was attributed to subdural hematoma, a brain injury caused by a fall during the quake, which left her in a state of impaired consciousness.
Japanese authorities classify deaths as disaster-related when they occur indirectly as a result of a disaster, such as through declining health or stress experienced during evacuation. The July 28 quake caused 36 direct fatalities due to building collapses and other factors. In the hard-hit municipalities of Hikawa and Uki, one person each was suspected of having died from disaster-related causes.
Historically, both the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake and the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake have seen disaster-related deaths significantly surpassing direct fatalities.
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