- Title: JAPAN: Earthquake survivors welcome bathing tent
- Date: 23rd March 2011
- Summary: KAMAISHI CITY, IWATE PREFECTURE, JAPAN (MARCH 22, 2011) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) BUS PARKED IN FRONT OF TEMPORARY BATHING AREA SET UP BY JAPANESE SELF-DEFENCE FORCES PEOPLE WALKING IN TO TENT TO SIGN UP FOR BATH VARIOUS OF MEN BATHING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) EVACUEE WHOSE HOME WAS DESTROYED, JUNICHI OGASAWARA, SAYING: "This is the best bath I've had in my entire life. It's better than any hot spring resort." MORE OF MEN BATHING BOY BATHING PIPE PUMPING HOT WATER INTO BATH EXTERIOR OF TENT CONTAINING BATH WITH PEOPLE WALKING BY STEAM RISING FROM TENT CONTAINING BATH, SIGN OUTSIDE READING IN JAPANESE "MEN'S BATH" JAPANESE SELF-DEFENCE FORCES SECTION HEAD, MITSUTOSHI FUTAMI, STANDING NEAR TENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE SELF-DEFENCE FORCES SECTION HEAD, MITSUTOSHI FUTAMI, SAYING: "Currently we are getting the city of Kamaishi to determine who will be let into the baths. They then come on a bus and we have somewhere between 500 and 700 people use the baths daily." WATER FROM BATHS STEAMING OUTSIDE OF TENT
- Embargoed: 7th April 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan, Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVACLDQDU84P0RVQB18QVQ5FV2L5
- Story Text: Hundreds of Japanese evacuees get to have a bath for the first time since the earthquake more than 10 days ago.
After more than 10 days of living in makeshift evacuation centres, hundreds of victims of Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami took a bath on Tuesday (March 22) for the first time since the disaster, getting some relief and a reminder of a normal life.
The bathing facility was set up by Japan's Self Defence Forces' Seventh Armored Division and had separate baths for men and women.
A bath tub is about the size of a mid-sized car, set up in a dark green tent built by Japan's military. There are some shower stands next to the tub for the victims to wash their body and hair.
"This is the best bath I've had in my entire life. It's better than any hot spring resort," said evacuee Junichi Ogasawara, who had his house destroyed by the tsunami.
The quake has left about confirmed 21,000 people dead or missing. 319,000 people have been evacuated so demand for the facilities is high.
"Currently we are getting the city of Kamaishi to determine who will be let into the baths. They then come on a bus and we have somewhere between 500 and 700 people use the baths daily," said Mitsutoshi Futami, a section head of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces.
Despite the hardship and destruction caused by the disasters, the hot baths helped provide something in short supply in Japan's north: smiles. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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