To save the lives and protect the health of survivors of the massive Noto Peninsula earthquake that hit central Japan on Jan. 1, 2024, a review of post-quake measures is required.

The number of deaths recognized as being related to the disaster has reached 247, topping the 222 who lost their lives from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes in the country's southwest.

Many survived building collapses and other immediate dangers in the Noto quake only to die from the physical and mental stress of living as evacuees. These deaths could have been prevented with proper care and support.

The elderly are at particular risk from changes in their environment which can readily affect their health. The population in the Noto area is aging, and those 80 and over comprise around 80% of the related deaths in cases where victims' ages have been released.

Poor living conditions at shelters and other places immediately after the disaster and isolation due to living in temporary housing are thought to be among the factors contributing to these deaths. Facilities opened in response to the New Year's Day quake have little space for each person and have had numerous hygienic problems. A number of solitary deaths at temporary housing have also been confirmed.

A government working group report issued last month pointed out a dire need for improvement in living conditions at evacuation shelters. The group is calling for measures such as securing portable toilets, providing warm meals and installing temporary beds from the time such facilities open.

Since the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake that struck west Japan's Hyogo Prefecture, the issue of how to prevent related deaths has arisen whenever disasters have hit. We must seriously reflect on the lack of improvements.

Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing Fukushima nuclear disaster, medical professionals visited temporary housing in regular "tea meets" where residents could share their worries and get health consultations.

The same sort of in-depth care is needed now, but there aren't enough hands on deck in the Noto region. Health outreach workers and volunteers are making the rounds and talking to those living in temporary housing and elsewhere, but there's a limited amount of time they can spend with each individual.

The area saw record-level torrential downpours in September that once more caused severe damage. It was a major hit just as the locals were hoping to recover from the earthquake, and it also has prolonged people's stays at evacuation shelters.

Now, the area faces the harshness of winter. Cold weather is another burden for elderly people. The national government and local bodies must act on lessons learned to revise support systems and prevent any more related deaths.