In a coastal city in southern Japan, a fire tore through over 170 buildings on Wednesday, killing one person. Military and firefighting helicopters raced to put out the nation’s biggest urban fire in nearly fifty years.
According to the Oita prefecture disaster response team, a woman in her 50s sustained a slight injury and a guy in his 70s went missing. Firefighters later discovered a body that may have belonged to the missing man.
Broadcasters’ aerial imagery showed residences crushed to rubble and dense smoke rising from Oita city’s steep Saganoseki area, which overlooks a fishing harbor known for its premium Seki-brand mackerel.
According to local media, the flames had also spread to neighboring forested slopes and an uninhabited island more than a kilometer off the shore, most likely as a result of high winds. According to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency, 175 people of the district, which is located around 770 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, were forced to evacuate to an emergency shelter after the fire began on Tuesday night and burned 48,900 square meters, or roughly the area of seven soccer fields. The department also stated that it was investigating the cause of the fire.
Also Read:
Homa Heybati: Breaking Barriers in the Renewable Energy and Finance Landscape
Nicolas Baerfuss: A Digital Space for Development and Well-being
About Author
