We all know that a major earthquake happened here in northern Japan five years ago.  Now the other end of Japan is getting a beating!

A major earthquake struck on Thursday evening on April 14th, 2016 in the southern part of Japan.   Its epicenter was in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu.   And since then poor Kyushu has been getting battered by earthquakes.

This illustration shows the island of Kyushu.

Yep, that’s it.

This is all of Japan.  Kyushu is that purple part in the southwest region.

Not only did they suffer that first major earthquake, but they have been reeling from aftershocks in Kyushu, and have had more major earthquakes.

We also had many aftershocks after our Tohoku earthquakes.  At the beginning there was one every few minutes.   I could hear the vibrations before they arrived, they were so strong.  They sounded like a train.  I would say to my husband, “Earthquake coming!  I can hear it.”   And then the house would shake.

The earthquakes that were aftershocks of 3/11 lasted more than a year, getting less and less frequent.  It’s hard to know when they finally petered out, but I think it was about two or three years later.   So poor people of Kyushu!   I know what they are going through.

Even poor Kumamoto castle has collapsed partially!  People have been killed, roads have been destroyed, and in general its just a tough time down there.

(And then meanwhile, if that wasn’t enough, poor Ecuador across the Pacific Ocean also is stricken by its own major earthquake!)

Poor Ecuador!

Poor Kyushu!

Let’s remember people in need all over the world.

The free illustrations come from http://www.irasutoya.com.  Thank you so much, irasutoya.  I couldn’t have illustrated this post without you.