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Ambrose Li

Hongkongers travelling in the quake-hit Japanese city of Kumamoto are offering rides to fellow visitors stranded in the area.
A travel operator also said on Wednesday that one of its tour groups from Hong Kong had initially thought their coach had crashed when the 7.1 magnitude quake shook Kyushu island on Tuesday, but they safely headed to their next destination.
The quake left at least 13 people dead and dozens of others injured or missing after part of a shopping centre and a huge chimney at a paper factory collapsed, officials said.
A tsunami advisory was also issued but lifted soon after.
Travellers from Hong Kong took to social media platform Threads in the wake of the disaster seeking help with transport or offering car rides.
One user said she had arrived in Fukuoka four days ago and was on a day trip to Kumamoto to the south when the quake hit.
She said she was in a branch of Japanese discount retailer Don Don Donki and was barely able to keep her balance as the ground shook.
But she was able to connect with three other Hongkongers and they shared a taxi north to Omuta to get a train to Hakata in Fukuoka, she said.
“I was so lucky to have bumped into a family from Hong Kong, who gave me one of their two hotel rooms upon learning that I was on my own and didn’t book accommodation as I was on a day trip,” user tyt_1219_ wrote.
“I felt the love, and that I wasn’t alone. I was so touched.”

Another Threads user based in Hong Kong posted an open offer of two seats in the car she was taking from Kumamoto to Fukuoka.
“After experiencing a magnitude seven earthquake yesterday, I’m leaving the city early for Fukuoka. I’m expecting to depart the Kumamoto railway station at 12.30pm,” user chiying_hana wrote.
“Anyone who wishes to head there could message me; I can take two.”
User wailok127 posted that he was travelling from Kumamoto to Fukuoka later in the week and that anyone needing a ride should contact him.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Japanese consulate in Hong Kong thanked people in the city for the many messages of concern over the earthquake, saying they were “undoubtedly a great source of encouragement to many of the affected residents”.
Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said two tour groups departed for Kyushu on Wednesday, one from Hong Kong and one from Macau, with 50-odd travellers in total, and had swapped accommodation in Kumamoto for elsewhere.
“We see that airlines are still flying to Kyushu and Fukuoka and Hong Kong has not issued any travel warning to the area, meaning that they have reviewed the risks and deemed them safe,” Huen said.
“Of course, we are the gatekeepers in communicating with hotels, restaurants, attractions and the tourism boards of different prefectures.”
There had been no cancellations, with all groups departing as scheduled, he added.
The company runs eight to 10 tour groups to Kyushu every week.
Alex Lee Chun-ting, general manager of Miramar Travel, said one of the company’s tour groups was in the city of Amakusa, about 80km (10 miles) from Kumamoto.
The 14 travellers were on board a coach at the time of the quake and initially thought they had crashed into another vehicle because of the violent vibrations, he said.
But they were safely on their way to Fukuoka, Lee added.
Many of his customers were confident in the country’s quake-resistant infrastructure, medical services and overall safety, he said, adding that no customers had cancelled coming tours to Japan.

Hong Kong’s Travel Industry Council earlier said that about 200 travellers in 15 tour groups from the city were safe.
The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers reminded tourists that they would be entitled to a cash allowance if quakes had been specified as a covered cause for delayed transport.
The amount will depend on the duration of affected travel and whether any additional expenses were considered reimbursable.
It also said that most travel insurance policies would provide reimbursement for non-refundable travel expenses already paid if travellers had to cancel their trip within a specific number of days before the trip due to the quake.
The insured traveller could also claim compensation for non-refundable costs and additional expenses incurred if their return trip to Hong Kong was cut short, the federation said.


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‘I was so touched’: Hongkongers in quake-hit Japanese city help each other

A shopping centre damaged by the quake. Photo: EPA/Jiji Press

A Threads user has spoken of the kindness of her fellow Hongkongers. Photo: Threads/ tyt_1219_

Emergency workers carry out search and rescue efforts. Photo: Kyodo News via Reuters

Collapsed roofs at the Yatsuhiro Shrine. Photo: Kyodo News via AP

An aerial image shows a damaged chimney at a paper factory. Photo: Kyodo News via AP

Hongkonger in Japan’s quake-hit Kumamoto describes shock: ‘I was quite scared’

A partially collapsed bridge after the earthquake. Photo: AP

Convenience stores in Kumamoto were sold out of food and water. Photo: Handout

A damaged highway in Kumamoto. Photo: Handout

5 dead, dozens injured after severe earthquake strikes Japan

The damaged Aeon Mall shopping centre in Kashima where an explosion took place after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo via Reuters

Firefighters and emergency vehicles gather at the heavily damaged Aeon Mall Kumamoto following an earthquake in Kashima, Kumamoto, Japan on Tuesday. Photo:  EPA / Jiji Press Japan

A collapsed chimney at Nippon Paper Industries’ Yatsushiro Mill after an earthquake struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo via Reuters

The crowded Hakata JR station in Fukuoka, southern Japan, after Kyushu shinkansen operations were suspended when an earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo via Reuters

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Hong Kong

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Travel operator also reveals tour group from Hong Kong is safe and departing for next destination


Travel operator also reveals tour group from Hong Kong is safe and departing for next destination.


Japan

Earthquakes

Tourism

‘I was so touched’: Hongkongers in quake-hit Japanese city help each other

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Travel operator also reveals tour group from Hong Kong is safe and departing for next destination

Travel operator also reveals tour group from Hong Kong is safe and departing for next destination