Uncertain but hopeful: Miyakoshi sitting in his damaged, mud-filled temporary housing unit in Wajima city. — AFP
WAJIMA: Two huge earthquakes 17 years apart robbed Shoichi Miyakoshi first of his wife, and then his home. Now, his temporary dwelling flooded after heavy rains deluged Japan’s Noto Peninsula, he must start afresh again.
Record rainfall inundated the former sushi chef’s small home in a temporary complex built after an earthquake on Jan 1 devastated areas on the Sea of Japan coast.
“It’s now September and will soon be October, then winter will be right here. I thought I was finally settled here and would have a warm winter the next New Year’s Day,” the 76-year-old said.
His home was badly damaged in the January quake. But it wasn’t the first time a natural disaster had brought tragedy to his life.
In March 2007, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula and killed his wife Kiyomi Miyakoshi, then aged 52.
After the most recent quake hit Noto in January, he spent a few months at an evacuation centre, then moved to another shelter.
“I had left pictures of my wife in the destroyed house but one night, she appeared in my dream,” he said. “She told me to take the pictures with me wherever I go.”
So he returned to his half-standing house to retrieve the precious memories. He brought the photos and Kiyomi’s ashes to the temporary home in Wajima – but now, they are soaked by brown water.For now, Miyakoshi is sleeping in a hospital lobby with other victims. Since he is frail, he could only bring essential items from the temporary accommodation, but plans to return for the photos.
“I’ll see you again when the city recovers,” he said with a firm handshake and a resilient smile. — AFP
