Powerful earthquake hits off southern Japan; tsunami advisory issued
Tokyo (AP): A powerful earthquake struck off Japan's southern coast on Thursday, triggering a tsunami advisory.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake registered magnitude 7.1 and was centred off the eastern coast of Japan's southern main island of Kyushu at a depth of about 30 km (18.6 miles).
It issued a tsunami advisory, predicting waves of up to 1 metre (3.3 feet) along the southern coast of Kyushu and nearby island of Shikoku.
Operators of nuclear plants on Kyushu and Shikoku said they were checking to see if there was any damage to them.
Japan's NHK public television said there were reports of broken windows at the Miyazaki airport near the epicentre.
Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.
An earthquake on Jan 1 in Japan's north-central region of Noto left more than 240 people dead.
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Beef up healthcare services in HP: Jai Ram Thakur advises state govt after ruckus at hospital
Shimla (PTI): Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said the state government should take concrete steps to prevent overcrowding at hospitals, enhance security arrangements, reduce excessive workload and curb administrative negligence, which he held responsible for the assault of a patient by a doctor at a prominent hospital here.
In a statement issued here, Thakur said that this incident is a serious warning to the health department and the state government.
His statement came a day after a junior resident doctor allegedly assaulted a patient, throwing multiple punches, following an argument at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), sparking a protest with the victim's relatives demanding that the doctor be handed over to them.
A video of the shocking incident also surfaced on social media.
The leader of the opposition said the government should take concrete steps instead of making statements.
Expressing concern over the deteriorating condition of the healthcare sector in Himachal Pradesh, Thakur said today, the people are suffering due to this collapse in the sector.
"The state government should prioritise healthcare services and should immediately fill vacant posts in the sector. They should also strengthen security arrangements in hospitals and ensure uninterrupted supply of medicines and medical equipment in hospitals,” he added.
He further said that the state government should work honestly to ensure that the benefits of central schemes are provided to every person in Himachal Pradesh.
"Schemes such as Himcare and Ayushman Bharat should be ensured for the people, as they are very beneficial for poor and needy families as well as for the middle-class people. However, due to negligence and mismanagement of the government in implementing them, people are unable to avail the benefits,” Thakur said.
He also alleged that, despite the budget being allocated by the Centre for these schemes, patients are unable to avail the basic facilities.
The situation is such that even many essential medicines are not available for patients, he added.
