Key Points
- Fuki Noodle Factory (Fuki Seimensho) in Kumamoto suffered significant structural and equipment damage following recent seismic activity.
- Heavy production machinery collapsed, and severe ground subsidence severed critical water and drainage infrastructure.
- Staff reported that the tremors felt significantly stronger than the major Kumamoto earthquake that occurred ten years prior.
- While some staff sustained minor bruises, no major injuries were reported as workers were fortunately away from the heavy machinery when it fell.
- The factory management is calling for continued public awareness and support as they begin the difficult process of reconstruction.
Full Transcript (English)
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): I am Seiichiro Murakami from Fuki Seimensho.
Host: We are visiting the Fuki Seimensho factory because we heard it suffered terrible damage. Could you tell us about the extent of the damage?
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): The factory machines have fallen over and are currently unusable. Regarding infrastructure, electricity has finally been restored, but the water supply and drainage systems were hit hard, so we cannot use water at the moment.
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): The ground has subsided significantly. This area used to be completely flat, but it has dropped. The water and drainage pipes are completely broken and cracked.
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): We use a boiler to boil the noodles, and some of the heavy oil used for it leaked. We had the fire department confirm the situation, and they said there is no immediate risk of fire, so we are leaving it as is for now.
Host: Compared to the earthquake ten years ago, does this feel worse?
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): Yes. The factory staff immediately went outside to check on everyone’s safety. Everyone said the shaking was much stronger than last time and that the damage is worse. Everyone is quite shaken up.
Host: Were there any injuries?
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): Fortunately, while we have many older staff members who suffered some bruises or scrapes from falling, there were no major injuries.
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): This machine is almost as high as the ceiling, and it just fell over. Usually, there are people working right here. It was a miracle that everyone happened to be in a different area at that moment. This machine is so heavy you can’t move it by hand; it could have been fatal if someone was underneath it.
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): The stairs are also broken.
Staff Member: Looking at the inside of the factory this time, it’s different from ten years ago. Ten years ago was actually better. This time, I don’t even know where to start. The pipes for the water tank and the water softener in front of the boiler are quite deformed. We won’t know if they are still functional until we try to run water through them. Checking the tank is the first priority.
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): It felt like a seismic intensity of 6 or 7. To us, it felt even stronger than the earthquake ten years ago.
Guest (Murakami Seiichiro): We experienced a major quake ten years ago, and we feel that what has happened cannot be changed. We are moving toward recovery and reconstruction. All our staff are united and looking forward. We hope people continue to follow the news and keep Kumamoto in their thoughts. Your support and concern alone give us a lot of encouragement. Thank you.
