Niijima Earthquake

On July 15, 2000, Niijima was hit by an earthquake of a magnitude of 6.3. Prior to this was Miyake's submarine volcano eruption (June 26). Since early July, we have been experiencing a series of earthquakes whose seismic centers have been traced to the sea floor near Niijima and our two neighboring islands, Kozu and Shikine.

The devastating earthquake injured six people including those with bone fractures; crushed 113 houses; and collapsed and blocked the major roads, partly by causing landslides. Our lives on the island have been severely affected.

All of the 413 residents of Wakago (the northern district of Niijima) were forced to evacuate the area and take refugee in Honson (the southern district where the Niijima Glass Art Center is) or in Tokyo for a month, until August 20.

It would take two to three years to fully reconnect the roads between the two districts of Niijima. In the meantime, public boat is going to be the only transportation available between Honson and Wakago.

From September, 15 high school students who are from Wakago began to live in a dormitory, which was temporarily set up at the Shibuyaku Seishonen Center in Honson, as the only high school in Niijima is on this side. They can only go back to their families on weekends.

The earthquake activities are diminishing since August and things are starting to calm down in Niijima. However, on September 2, Miyake's volcano erupted again, and all of its residents were ordered to evacuate the island.

Fortunately, as for the Niijima Glass Art Center, our building and facilities have been withstanding the earthquakes quite well. So have all five of us working here.

But, we have been hurt indirectly. Some of the art works on display broke. The Glass Art Museum next to our center was forced to close temporarily. Only a few people visited our center or participated in our glass art classes compared to the previous years. The number of tourists to the island as a whole tremendously decreased this summer.

At the present, earthquake activities are quieting down. While paying close attention to its future activities, we are going to hold the annual Niijima International Glass Art Festival as scheduled, from November 11 to 23. This year, Dante Marioni and Shane Fero will give their workshops, and Shogo Kariyazaki will be here as the artist-in-residence. There will be open-demonstrations and slide lectures by the artists as well as a glass auction.

-->> Niijima Earthquake Charity Auction
-->> Niijima Glass Art Festival
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