Mega earthquake-tsunami prediction in Japan gives Indians sleepless nights
It’s a double whammy for Indians in Japan already reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic as now they stare at the possible massive earthquake of magnitude-9 intensity followed by tsunami there.
NEW DELHI: After a Japanese government panel recently predicted a potential mega-earthquake above the magnitude of 9.0 followed by a 30-meter tsunami hitting northern Japan, the Indians stranded there are forced to lead sleepless nights.
Already facing scare of falling prey to deadly COVID-19 virus amidst crumbling healthcare infrastructure in Japan, these Indians have urged the Indian government to rescue them from locations that are of high risk like Japan, and accord utmost priority while formulating the related evacuation strategy.
As per the Japan Meteorological Agency, Japan has experienced 11 earthquakes of the magnitude of 4.1 to 6.1 on the Richter scale between April 20 and 26.
“This has given us sleepless nights here in Japan. I am so scared of the imminent earthquake and tsunami that I put a helmet on while sleeping. I don’t know whether I would die of Coronavirus or earthquake/tsunami in Japan,” said Kamal Vijayvargiya, an Indian from Jaipur who got stuck in Tokyo after the lockdown was announced in India and international flights were canceled in March.
Also read: M9 quake, 30-meter tsunami could hit northern Japan: government panel
The stranded Indians are of the opinion that the impact of such a massive earthquake could be devastating since Japan’s healthcare system is already crumbling due to the pandemic. The Japanese might enforce laws or formulate policies to provide some relief in reducing the impact of the pandemic but there is no escape or cure for a natural disaster like an earthquake.
Akhilesh Sharma, who is stuck in Yokohama since December 1, and was to return on March 31 said in Japan the number of COVID-19 positive cases had crossed 13,000 mark and hospital beds were running out of capacity.
“The hospitals are refusing admissions and treatment to the patients unless they have acute fever condition or respiratory issues. One of our colleagues had to go around to about 80 hospitals to get his ailing father admitted. On that front, the situation in India is better off. In Japan, we stand more chances of getting infected as there is no lockdown here and people move freely with some not wearing masks,” Sharma added.
These stranded Indians are facing unprecedented mental and emotional distress knowing that they are risking their lives in a foreign country with the pandemic and the constant fear of a mega-earthquake, from which there is no escape.
Amit Sharma from New Delhi is under a lot of stress and depression due to this.
He says, “I am not able to sleep at all, only 3-4 hours a day. The rest of the time I am continuously thinking about how to evacuate from here and what will happen in case an earthquake or Tsunami strikes here. I came to Japan for a job and had to return on April 5 but now stuck over here with no clue about when I will go back to my family.”
Amit has no place to stay and has taken refuse at one of his Philippino friends who, he said, goes to work on a daily basis using public transport like trains or buses as more than 60% of people in Japan use the public mode of transport.
“My Pilipino friend stands a strong chance of getting infected by Coronavirus virus as he steps out of home every day for work and uses the train to reach his office and return. I wish we Indians are evacuated from Japan at the earliest by the Indian government,” said Amit.
Anirudh Mathur who is stuck in Yokohama has his wife pregnant in India and is expecting delivery at any moment.
“Now, I am more stressed because of the news of possible high magnitude earthquake and tsunami appearing in various newspapers in Japan. This is causing a great amount of anxiety and stress amongst Indians here,” he added.
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Hello All,
This news is not right, Japan government and hospitals provide the best possible support to citizens and foreign residents too.
Japanese Government offers one of the best health care insurances in the world.
So mentioned above statements are false.
And talking about these Indians who are scared and could not sleep hahahaha, They shouldn`t have left their country at first place. They probably never considered Japan as home they only considered of coming to Japan for making money and now panicking in pandemic situations to run back home.
They are panicking to leave the country, well if the situations would be so dire then in that case, where would the locals go ?
In such cases, such people should not come to Japan and better stay in their home countries who want to make more money than they could make in their home country and do not want to support and stand by the country in critical times where they have been earning their bread and butter and feeding their families.
Philippine friend offering a place to live to Indian where he has no shelter and damn that guy is worried of living with him, then he should have moved out right away
Government of India shall take such Indians on Vande Bharat mission to India asap and Japan Government should ban these people from coming back to Japan
Shame on such Indians
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Indian