A livestock farmer keeps his eyes fixed on a completely destroyed barn for his cattle. (Ozu-machi, Kumamoto prefecture)
In early morning on April 16, Kumamoto region of Kumamoto prefecture on the Kyushu Island was severely struck by a powerful earthquake centering in the region, which registered an upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale. Tremors of the earthquake were more violent than those of an earthquake, registering an intensity of 7 on the scale,
which hit the same area on the evening of April 14.
The earthquake and a number of aftershocks caused widespread suffering in the Kumamoto region. Damages caused on agriculture by the earthquake have been reportedly increasing.
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced that the earthquake striking the Kumamoto region before dawn on April 16 was the “main quake” following a series of precursor events and aftershocks. The main quake registered a lower 6 on the intensity scale in the neighboring Oita prefecture.
Some of livestock barns collapsed in the earthquake and a number of cattle were killed or injured in the territory of Kikuchi Agricultural Cooperative (JA). The prefectural federation of dairy cooperatives was forced to suspend operations at its milk plant, which makes it difficult for member farmers to continuously ship their fresh milk to the plant.
Quake-hit farmers have received mental shocks, in addition to financial damages. They are now at a loss as to how to proceed to rehabilitate their agricultural business.