A Japanese rail operator says catastrophe was avoided on a high-speed shinkansen bullet train derailed by a recent powerful earthquake off northeastern Japan with no injuries reported, proving its safety once again thanks to measures put in place after major quakes in the past.
A Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train that derailed in Miyagi Prefecture during the powerful earthquake that struck off Japan’s northeast coast Wednesday night may have been knocked from the rails by the second jolt of the quake, according to the transport safety board.
Following a deadly earthquake that rocked Japan’s northeastern areas, policymakers are facing the urgent challenge of grasping the scale and details of the damage and providing policy support to help the recovery of affected people and communities.
When a shinkansen derailed late Wednesday after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, none of the 75 passengers or three crew members were injured thanks to high-tech safety measures.
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture on March 16 rose to four, and at least 107 people were injured, government officials said.