Some 350 residents of the village of Yamakoshi, Niigata Prefecture -- evacuated after a series of quakes devastated the area last week -- temporarily returned to their homes Friday after a road was reopened.

All 2,000 residents were evacuated to the neighboring city of Nagaoka after three initial quakes damaged or destroyed roads, leaving the village stranded.

Responding to villagers' wishes, the village government decided to allow some residents who live along the reopened road to return for two-hour stints on Friday and Saturday to pick up valuables and daily necessities.