Overview
- The prefecture announced on Saturday that Hikawa has finished eight buildings containing 20 lightweight steel single‑story units and plans first move‑ins from Sept. 5.
- Prefectural officials have started construction on a wider program of 503 temporary units across three cities and three towns, including Yatsushiro and Uki.
- Disaster Welfare Assistance Teams (DWAT)—multi‑disciplinary groups of roughly five care professionals—have been active in welfare evacuation centers, with about 1,400 personnel dispatched from 18 prefectures to help with meals, toileting and daily care.
- Move‑in eligibility for the new Hikawa units requires a ‘totally destroyed’ (全壊) damage certificate, a rule that will determine which shelter residents can relocate first and affect near‑term shelter population levels.
- Community recovery efforts and international support continue alongside housing work, including donations accepted at a Japan PR event in Bangkok and a respite exchange that invited 17 affected children to Shimabara for recovery activities.