Vietnamese people at the epicenter of the Japanese earthquake received a lot of support.

Vietnamese trainees in Anamizu city, near the epicenter of the earthquake on the Noto peninsula, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, are moving to their new residence and receiving support from their union to stabilize their jobs.

On January 6, 2024, a delegation of more than 20 people from the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka, along with businesses, visited the Vietnamese community in Ishikawa province - Photo: Vietnamese Group in Ishikawa

Five days have passed since a 7.6-magnitude earthquake rocked the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture and surrounding areas in central Japan, causing severe damage. Tuoi Tre Online spoke on January 6 with Nguyen Thi Huong (20 years old) and Bui Thi Ai Nhan (30 years old) - two of six Vietnamese people living and working in Anamizu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, about 50km from the epicenter of the earthquake in the Noto Peninsula.

Many difficulties at the epicenter of the earthquake

When the earthquake occurred at around 4pm on January 1 (local time), two Vietnamese female interns said that at first they only felt a slight shaking. Only when the shaking became more intense did they realize that it was a big earthquake and rushed to hide under the kitchen table. "When the earthquake stopped, we went outside. We wanted to ask the people around us what we should do to learn from them. At that time, there was no electricity, no water, it was dark, and there were few neighbors around.

The Vietnamese community organizes trips to provide necessities to compatriots in Ishikawa province - Photo: Vietnamese group in Ishikawa

It was a while later that we saw a Japanese person. We asked them, but they didn't know what to do because they had never experienced such a strong earthquake before," Ms. Huong recounted. She continued: "Roads were eroded, wooden houses collapsed. We had to move to a shelter in the city. That night, no one dared to sleep." Mr. Vu Tien Dung, 28 years old, is working at the Hokuriku Taigai union (in charge of Vietnamese trainees in many areas of central Japan), updated the situation from the epicenter. "In the epicenter area, there is still a lack of water, some people have not had a bath for 5 days. Factories were severely damaged, leading to mass unemployment among Vietnamese trainees. Those who have relatives (in other areas of Japan) left, the rest are still stuck at the epicenter," he recounted.

Will soon have stable job

During her temporary stay at the refugee center, Ms. Ai Nhan was moved to receive help from Japanese people in the area.

"We evacuated to an elementary school. Knowing that we were foreigners, they cared, asked about us, and encouraged us a lot. Food and drinks were provided in full, the only inconvenience was that there was no running water," she said. From Kanazawa city, Mr. Dung traveled down to Anamizu city to meet and take two Vietnamese interns to a safer place. "For Vietnamese people who suffered heavy damage to their homes and could not continue living in the area, were cut off from water and lacked food, the union supported them to go to the union's community center, and had free accommodation. For those who lost their jobs, to the extent possible, the union will introduce them to other companies in the same industry," he shared.

Previously, on January 5, Mr. Vu Tien Dung (working at Hokuriku Taigai union) went to Nakanoto city, Ishikawa province to give necessities to Vietnamese people and those affected by the earthquake in the area - Photo: NVCC

Previously, Ms. Huong and Ms. Ai Nhan worked together assembling electronic components at a company in Anamizu City. They were somewhat relieved to know that the union would help stabilize their jobs in the near future. "At first, I was also worried because the company was damaged so we could not continue working there. The union also had a solution by moving us to another place to work. I also hope that when things gradually stabilize and the company is repaired, we can still come back here to work," Ms. Ai Nhan confided.

No Vietnamese casualties in Ishikawa

According to VNA, information provided to the Vietnamese Embassy by representatives of Ishikawa prefecture's leadership said that as of January 4, no information about Vietnamese people was recorded in the statistics of casualties caused by the earthquake. On January 4, the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan sent a working delegation led by Ambassador Nguyen Duc Minh to Ishikawa prefecture to learn about the situation and support Vietnamese people in difficulty there. Information from the Vietnamese group in Ishikiwa also said that on the morning of January 6, 2024, a delegation of more than 20 people from the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka, along with businesses, visited the Vietnamese community in Ishikawa prefecture. The Vietnamese community in Japan is also establishing groups to provide essential supplies to compatriots in difficulty in areas heavily affected by natural disasters.

Tuoitre.vn

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