{
  "id": 1409627,
  "title": "Time-lapse footage shows just how fast rebuilding in Kumamoto can go",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/time-lapse-footage-shows-just-how-fast-rebuilding-in-kumamoto-can-go",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-17T03:00:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SoraNews24",
    "slug": "soranews24",
    "url": "https://soranews24.com/2026/08/17/time-lapse-footage-shows-just-how-fast-rebuilding-in-kumamoto-can-go/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kumamoto recently experienced a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, prompting awe at the engineering efforts made to limit casualties and damage. One notable example was the disconnection of elevated highways into separate sections due to the disaster. The roads were designed to break in such events to prevent further destruction. Hidden beneath the detached segments were cables, rods, and stoppers that not only reduced damage but also expedited repairs. Workers for NEXCO, Japan's privatized expressway company, demonstrated impressive speed and efficiency in repairing a damaged highway via a time-lapse video. A stretch of the Katanogawa Bridge, which took 10 hours in real-time, transformed into a pristine sheet of asphalt. Despite the challenging conditions brought on by the Obon holiday period and the Japanese summer heat, the workers were praised for their remarkable work.",
  "summary": "All in a day’s work. Whenever major natural disasters hit Japan, I’m always amazed by the engineering feats that were set up in various places to minimize casualties and damage. It’s hard to feel a sense of joy or pride at times like the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Kumamoto recently, but at the same […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}