Abstract
On March 11 2011, a tsunami caused by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake devastated the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan.The present study was conducted to assess environmental health risks of the areas affected and socio-psychological status of the dislocated people in Ishinomaki. Samples of sludge, water, flies and rodents were collected in 20 urban neighborhood associations affected by the tsunami in July and August 2011, and in August 2012. A socio-psychological survey was conducted in two urban and one rural temporary housing complexes in 2012. Animal feed concentrates and fish from damaged factories were scattered along the coast which caused a strong odor and great number of flies. Removal of fish and feed along with spraying insecticides reduced the odor and the number of flies by August 2011. The sludge and water samples contained potentially hazardous bacteria, but none were highly pathogenic. Heavy metals in sludge were not in alarming quantities. A rodent was captured in one unit in August 2011, and monitoring in two units found that the log number of rodents captured increased significantly over time (slope=0.08, p = 0.005). In temporary housing complexes, those who originally lived in rural fishing villages wished to return to their homes more (64.2%, 9/14) than in urban areas (30.6%, 11/36, p = 0.06). Risk factors for depression included absence of friends ( p = 0.011) or trusted person to counsel in the housing complexes ( p = 0.003) and illness of the respondent or a family member ( p = 0.003). In conclusion, overall environmental health risk was acceptable for living, and monitoring of rodents population was recommended. In addition, psychological and economical support was needed for evacuees in temporary housing complexes.
Highlights
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred offshore of the northeast coast of Honshu, Japan at 14: 46 pm on March 11, 2011, generating a devastating tsunami that destroyed many towns and villages near the seashore in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures (Shibahara, 2011)
The present paper describes the temporal dynamics of general observations, entomology, wildlife, microbiology, chemistry and socio-psychology in the areas affected by the tsunami in Ishinomaki
The ground subsided in various coastal areas of the Tohoku region after the earthquake; in Ishinomaki, the ground subsided by 1.2 m, which was the greatest extent in Japan (Suito et al, 2011)
Summary
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred offshore of the northeast coast of Honshu, Japan at 14: 46 pm on March 11, 2011, generating a devastating tsunami that destroyed many towns and villages near the seashore in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures (Shibahara, 2011). The coastal city of Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture (Figure 1) was severely affected by the tsunami, which flooded about 13% of the city where 70% of the population lived In the affected areas by the tsunami overall in Japan, 62.6% of people started evacuation before the large scale tsunami arrived, 10.6% after arrived, and 26.8% did not evacuate, based on a study with 4,421 respondents (MLITT, 2011). After the tsunami, the Self Defense Force of Japan, together with foreign rescue teams including US military forces, began rescuing people trapped in debris, searched for those who were missing or presumed dead and restored life lines to the affected areas. The other political supports include partial financial supports for lost and damaged houses, exemption of tax and interests for a double loan (a loan for new house construction in addition to the remaining loan), and supports for families with children and those who lost employment, and mental and physical health (Miyagi Prefecture, 2012)
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