A place where children can come and play together while receiving support has been offered on an island in the central Japan prefecture of Ishikawa, which was hit hard by a powerful earthquake on New Year's Day.
The facility, called Densho no Yakata, at a local community center on the island of Notojima, part of the city of Nanao, is open to children as a playground from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. At the facility, children are allowed to craft something and play board games, among other activities, so that they can have a joyful time and avoid being isolated during their stay at evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, guardians, including parents, are concerned about the quake's psychological impact on children as some kids "play earthquake." The situation suggests that mental care is needed for children affected by the Jan. 1 temblor, which measured up to the maximum level of 7 on Japan's seismic intensity scale and has left more than 230 people dead in the prefecture.