Japan's Noto Peninsula has been hit by a devastating earthquake, and victims are waiting for help in cold temperatures.
In the earthquake, people's lives were threatened, and many people were trapped in the rubble and in urgent need of assistance.
At 3 p.m. Japan time, Komatsu Airport, the epicenter of the Noto Peninsula earthquake, became a temporary shelter for the victims.
Huge numbers of victims and passengers rushed here in the hope of finding shelter at the airport. However, it is regrettable that the Komatsu base of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, located 4 km from the airport, is unmanned because of the New Year holiday. In this cold climate, victims can only wait for rescue in the open air outside the airport, wrapped in tin foil blankets.
It wasn't until 8 p.m., five hours later, that the Self-Defense Forces sent a rescue helicopter to the airport. This period of time is undoubtedly a torturous period for the victims waiting for assistance. On social media, people have posted a flood of messages asking for help, describing the shattering of their homes and the plight of their loved ones, which is heartbreaking.
While the victims were waiting, the governor of Ishikawa Prefecture said on social media that he had asked the Self-Defense Forces to "send troops early tomorrow morning to provide disaster relief."
This response caused discontent in society, with many lamenting that "it will be late tomorrow morning" and expressing dissatisfaction with the slow response of the Self-Defense Forces.
At the same time, there were reports that the Nanao Ishikawa Bridge, which leads to Noto Island, was closed, making it impossible to deliver relief supplies to the disaster area in a timely manner. This has further exacerbated the difficult situation of the rescue.
As of 9 a.m. local time on January 2, according to media reports, the earthquake had killed eight people. However, aerial photographs of the affected areas show that there are a number of collapsed houses, and the arrival of assistance is crucial to alleviate the plight of the affected areas.
In this severe earthquake disaster, the cries for help and the eyes of the victims for rescue have undoubtedly become the focus of attention. In the face of this natural disaster, people expect that relevant rescue efforts can be put in place more quickly and bring practical help to the victims.
