JAPAN: Sony repairs its tsunami-ravaged warehouse as residents struggle with supply shortages

Record ID: 465577

  • Title: JAPAN: Sony repairs its tsunami-ravaged warehouse as residents struggle with supply shortages
  • Date: 24th March 2011
  • Summary: SENDAI, MIYAGI PREFECTURE, JAPAN (MARCH 23, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SONY WAREHOUSE / DAMAGED VEHICLES AND OBJECTS PILED OUTSIDE WAREHOUSE SONY LOGO VARIOUS OF WORKERS AT WAREHOUSE GATE WORKERS WALKING OUTSIDE WAREHOUSE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING IN FRONT OF SUPERMARKET (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 68-YEAR-OLD YURIKO KUNAGAYI SAYING: "In another shop, I had been waiting in line from eight o'clock in the morning and I would have to queue for four hours (before buying anything)." (REPORTER ASKING: "What do you mainly buy?") YURIKO SAYING: "I usually purchase food, for example vegetables, snacks. But there are no meats and dairy products in the market." WOMAN SHIVERING WHILE IN QUEUE PEOPLE QUEUING IN FRONT OF SUPERMARKET MAN WAITING MORE OF PEOPLE QUEUING IN FRONT OF SUPERMARKET MAN HOLDING SIGN THAT READS IN JAPANESE "PLEASE QUEUE FROM THE END OF THE LINE." PEOPLE WALKING INTO SUPERMARKET VARIOUS OF VEHICLES DRIVING INTO GAS STATION VEHICLES IN QUEUE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) SENDAI RESIDENT WHO DECLINED TO BE IDENTIFIED SAYING: "I can only purchase 12.5 litres each time I pay a visit here. It is making my life very difficult." VARIOUS OF WORKERS TAKING FUEL FOR VEHICLE VEHICLE DRIVING IN
  • Embargoed: 8th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA60KYHJVR39IYHBT5WHVUSVB0L
  • Story Text: Japan's northeast, battered by a powerful earthquake and tsunami, continued to struggle with food and fuel shortages on Wednesday (March 23) as the country worked to repair damaged facilities and restore supplies.
    Workers at a Sony warehouse located near Sendai port, an area severely damaged by the tsunami which engulfed the coast on March 11, were trying to restore operations.
    Debris of buildings and quake-crippled vehicles lay near toppled fences at the warehouse and employees declined to comment on when the facility would be functional again.
    Analysts have said the extent of the disaster may force Japanese companies like Sony to shift production overseas and avert future risks.
    Sony said 16 plants out of a total of 25 have been affected by the disaster. The maker of the Playstation gaming console said on Tuesday (March 22) if shortages continued, it would begin temporarily shifting output to overseas sites where parts were available.
    In Sendai city at least a hundred residents were queuing up in front of a supermarket early on Wednesday, waiting for the shop to open.
    The most eager customers had been lining up for at least an hour in front of the doors.
    Kunagayi Yuriko, 68, said the food shortage situation was easing, but she still had limited access to the things she needs.
    "In another shop, I had been waiting in line from eight o'clock in the morning and I would have to queue for four hours (before buying anything)," she said. "I usually purchase food, for example vegetables, snacks. But there are no meats and dairy products in the market."
    Drivers in Sendai were also facing similar situation.
    A Sendai resident said the waiting time had been cut, as more fuel supplies were reaching the disaster areas, but he was still not getting enough fuel for his car.
    "I can only purchase 12.5 litres each time I pay a visit here. It is making my life very difficult," he added.
    The death toll stands at more than 9,000 and more than 10,000 are missing.
    Japan estimates the total damage from the quake at 16-25 trillion yen ($197-308 billion). The estimate includes damage to roads, homes, factories and other infrastructure, but excludes lost economic activity from power outages and costs arising from damage to the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, as well as the swings in financial markets.
    The earthquake and tsunami damaged the power plant and engineers are working round the clock to contain the world's worst nuclear disaster in 25 years.
    Radiation may also add numbers to the damage costs, as World Health Organisation expressed concern over food and water contamination in Japan.
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