Quake, plane crash, knife attack: Triple disasters hit Japan in just three days since NYE
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Raven Ruma
- . January 4, 2024
- . Update: January 4, 2024 7:48 pm
People of Japan are navigating a period of chaos as three concerning incidents have rocked the country in just three days since New Year’s Eve. There have been a series of earthquakes, a major plane crash and even a knife attack that’s grabbing headlines across the globe.
The New Year’s Day earthquake has killed at least 81 people in Japan. Thousands of rescuers pressed on their search for survivors, hoping to save as many as possible before a three-day survival window ended on Thursday afternoon.
Survival rates drop off 72 hours after the quake, as per emergency responders. Severed roads and the remote location of the devastated areas have complicated rescue efforts. Roughly 600 tremors have hit the Noto peninsula since the main quake, raising fears of further damage.
Relief supplies have trickled in but evacuees remain largely cut off from food and communications amid freezing temperatures. Mayors have highlighted the need for more aid. Other basics such as medical supplies and clean toilets are also lacking.
Japan plane crash: Passengers’ discipline and staff’s training
In the second incident, Japan Airlines Flight 516 turned into a fireball on the runway of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday after it collided with a coastguard plane as it landed. 5 of the six people on board the smaller aircraft died.
The coastguard plane had been due to deliver supplies to the victims of the powerful earthquake. But everyone on Flight 516 survived. The flawless evacuation from the cabin has been astounding the international community and attracting praise from many.
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Industry professionals told the BBC it boiled down to staff on board putting their rigorous training into practice and passengers embracing discipline and obeying safety protocols. The simple act of leaving their luggage behind helped speed up the evacuation process.
Japan train knife attack in the limelight
Finally, in the third incident, a woman got arrested after allegedly slashing and stabbing other passengers with a blade on a train on Tokyo’s Yamanote loop line on Wednesday night. She – believed to be in her 20s – was apparently unknown to those attacked.
Investigative sources mentioned on Thursday that the suspect told authorities she wanted to “kill people”, reported Japan Times. Four men – in their 30s and 60s – sustained injuries of varying severities to their sides, backs and arms, the police informed.
Responding to the attack, passengers pressed emergency buttons and a station staffer called the police at around 10:55 pm. The passengers subdued the suspect and handed her over to the officials. She has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
