63K households in central Japan remain without water after Typhoon No. 15

Residents line up at a water station set up in the parking lot of the Shimizu Ward government building in Shizuoka on Sept. 25. Jun Nakamura SHIZUOKA -- Authorities said 63,000 households in central Japan remained without running water on Sept. 25 after Typhoon No. 15 brought pounding rain to the region and driftwood blocked a water inlet from a river.

Residents formed a long line at the Miho Lifelong Learning Meeting Place in Shizuoka s Shimizu Ward to get water after three water tank trucks deployed earlier in the day ran dry by the afternoon.

A woman in her 70s who lives nearby waited patiently for a substitute vehicle in the line.

She said that I had to wait for five and a half hours. The possibility of a Tokai earthquake has been discussed for a long time, but what is the city's stockpile in case of emergency? On Sept. 25 at Shimizu Ward, 28 water stations were opened at community centers and schools from 7 a.m. to 7 a.m. Residents made sure to get to the venues early so that they wouldn't be disappointed.

The 63,000 affected homes account for 60 percent of the households in Shimizu Ward.

Shizuoka Mayor Nobuhiro Tanabe told reporters on Sept. 25 that they hope to restore water supply within a week.

The same day, Tanabe visited the facility where the water inlet from the Okitsugawa River was thrown out of action.

Work was under way to remove sand, rocks and driftwood at the facility, but progress was slow because it was being done by hand. The facility said it was impossible to bring in heavy machinery there.

Municipal officials are considering expanding the number of water stations in the ward.

They plan to extend water supply hours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Starting Sept. 26th, the city's board of education decided to temporarily close 42 elementary and junior high schools, which accounted for most of the schools in those categories.

Typhoon No triggered heavy rains. Two people were killed over the weekend because 15 over the weekend caused significant damage to the prefecture. The prefectural authorities said 1,376 homes were flooded above floor level and 1,351 were below floor level as of 2 p.m. on Sept. 25.

The Shizuoka prefectural government requested on Sept. 26 the Ground Self-Defense Force send a disaster relief operation team.