Following the massive earthquake that hit Kumamoto Prefecture in South Japan Tuesday, rural communities are struggling to get their lives back to normal. The powerful earthquake set off an explosion at a mall, toppled a factory chimney and flattened homes, killing at least 34 people. Yusuke Hashimoto a sports bar owner in Uki, is struggling to clean up after the quake hit the bar, saying ‘bottles had fallen over everywhere, it was a complete mess,” estimating that it will take at least a month to get the bar up and running again. Power outages and extreme heat in Japan are currently added stressors, with temperatures forecasted to top 32 degree Celsius. As for families with young children, Yuka Shimada, a mother and nursery school teaches shares how her daughter was so startled by the earthquake that “now she won’t go inside,” adding that the extreme heat and lack of running water is very uncomfortable. The Japanese government continues to prioritize access to fresh water, and is working to restore electricity, gas, and water to stricken areas. For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/12002667/japan-eathquake-death-toll-rises/ Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/20fcXDc Follow Global News on X HERE: http://bit.ly/1Toz8mt Follow Global News on TikTok HERE: https://www.tiktok.com/@globalnews.ca?lang=en #GlobalNews #japan