Many Japanese died after the earthquake due to lack of basic living conditions.

At least 11 people have died after being forced to live in shelters lacking basic living conditions following the earthquake in Japan.

A family that survived the earthquake had to use their car as a temporary shelter. Photo: Reuters

Many Japanese people are experiencing health complications while they wait for the government to build temporary housing, Reuters reported today.About 120,000 Japanese are living in shelters set up after the 7.3 magnitude earthquake on April 16, but these places lack basic living conditions such as electricity and clean water. The number of sick people is rising.

"Eleven people have died from lack of food, and 20 others are facing similar difficulties. Sleeping in a car will cause blood to circulate slowly, stagnate in the veins of the legs, and then rush to the lungs, causing blood clots, difficulty breathing, and even death," said Dr. Hiromichi Matsuda, from the Japanese Red Cross.

At the shelter set up in a building in Mashiki town, there are up to 1,200 people while only 20 staff members serve. Therefore, cleaning toilets and waste disposal are not guaranteed.

"There is electricity but no water. There is no water in the building either. Many people still do not dare to go home because they are afraid of not being safe after the strong earthquake," said Lee Yamane, a staff member at the shelter. Those who survived the earthquake will have to stay in the shelter for at least two more months, according to his experience.Yamane.

Two powerful earthquakes last weekend in Japan killed at least 44 people, injured more than 1,000, and forced hundreds of thousands to live in tents, cars, and temporary shelters. This is considered the worst disaster to happen in Japan since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Fukushima in 2011.

There are more than 1,600 Vietnamese people living, working and studying in Kumamoto prefecture, which was heavily affected by the earthquake on April 16. The Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka sent officials with food and drinks to Kumamoto to directly assess the situation and encourage the Vietnamese community.

According to VNE