HIKAWA, Kumamoto -- Two days after a major earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28, local supermarkets are battling challenging conditions to provide essential supplies to residents grappling with the disaster.

In the town of Hikawa, Kumamoto Prefecture, where seismic intensity reached the maximum level of 7 on the Japanese scale, on the morning of July 30 at the "Family Food Arisa Miyahara store," company president Shota Yoshida, 35, called out to customers, "Anything you see here is available."

Under extreme summer heat, goods were displayed beneath a tent outside the store. Blackouts and water cuts were continuing, and it was considered safer than being inside the building.

"We've always been supported by people in this community," Yoshida said.

On this day, the store sold bottled water, instant noodles and packaged rice sent by a food company in neighboring Fukuoka Prefecture, along with fresh vegetables and other items.

Seiji Tanaka, a 52-year-old taxi driver from the town, stopped by the store to purchase ready-to-eat meals and bottled water, as well as a box of facial tissues that his wife had asked him to buy. Tanaka said, "We have emergency supplies from our experience with the earthquake 10 years ago, but there are always things you need at a given moment. I'm sure everyone is struggling under these circumstances, but it really helps that the store is open."

A 69-year-old woman who lives alone in the town said she heard from an acquaintance that the supermarket was operating and came to shop here. Although her home had not lost power and she still had food stored in her refrigerator, she was looking for items that "could be prepared and eaten with minimal effort."

An earthquake with an intensity of 4 had also been recorded on July 29. "It's frightening because you never know when an earthquake will hit. I wonder how much longer this will continue," the woman said with a look of anxiety.

While work is also underway to clear out the store, the path to resuming regular operations remains unclear. With sweat on his brow, Yoshida said, "The future is uncertain, but despite their own struggles, all the employees are coming to the store. I want to do my best to meet the needs of the local residents."

(Japanese original by Maika Hyuga, Kumamoto Bureau)