Victims Mourned 9 Years after Deadly Landslides in Hiroshima

Jiji Press

16:57 JST, August 20, 2023

HIROSHIMA (Jiji Press) — A ceremony was held in Hiroshima on Saturday to mourn for the 77 people who died in massive landslides caused by heavy rain nine years ago.

Participants to the ceremony, held in the Yagi district in Asa-Minami Ward, which was hit especially hard by the Aug. 20, 2014, disaster, offered silent prayers for the victims.

“We’ve deepened our bonds and helped each other to move forward,” local community leader Heikichi Muraoka said in a speech at the ceremony, organized by local residents.

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said in a speech, “We’ll learn precious lessons from the disaster and work hard to create a place where everyone can live in safety and peace.”