Kumamoto Earthquake: Health Ministry Warns of Economy Class Syndrome Risk for Car Sleepers

Following the Kumamoto earthquakes in Japan, power and water outages persist, and damage to shelters has led to a surge in victims living in vehicles. As of July 30, about 10,000 people were in 400 official shelters, but the actual number of displaced is higher, with many sleeping in cars or yards. Experts warn of isolation and health risks for those in vehicles, urging authorities to conduct on-site visits and expand aid distribution.

A Japanese outlet conducted a two-night test of heat relief products for sleeping in a car, using items from Muji and Nitori costing up to 5000 yen. On the first night at 33°C, the cabin temperature dropped to 25°C by morning; on the second night at 40°C, it stayed above 30°C. The test concluded that pre-cooling the cabin with air conditioning is essential, and that sleeping in a car should be avoided during extreme heat due to heatstroke risk.

Gasoline shortages are spreading in Kumamoto Prefecture after a magnitude-7 earthquake on July 28. In hard-hit areas, queues of up to 1 km formed at gas stations on July 30. Widespread power outages have forced residents to sleep in cars with air conditioning, driving up fuel demand. Temperatures are forecast to approach 40°C from July 31. ENEOS resumed shipments from its Yatsushiro depot on July 31, but some storage facilities remain closed. Power supply is expected to be restored by the evening of July 31, though local line damage may persist.

According to the Kumamoto Prefecture Disaster Response Headquarters, as of 6 a.m. on January 30, about 10,000 people from 4,000 households were staying in approximately 400 designated evacuation centers across 30 municipalities. However, these figures do not include those sleeping in vehicles or sheltering at home, and the actual number of affected people is believed to be higher. In heavily damaged areas such as Hikawa Town and Uki City, schools and disaster prevention centers that would normally serve as shelters were themselves damaged by the earthquake and power outages, delaying their opening.

After a magnitude 7 earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, doctors report a rise in economy class syndrome cases. About 70% of victims slept in cars, leading to hospitalizations and deaths.

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