Quake-hit Wajima's schools reopen

WAJIMA, Ishikawa Pref. (Kyodo) Seven elementary and junior high schools here that sustained heavy damage when a powerful earthquake struck March 25 welcomed some 120 newly enrolled students Monday.

A mother and daughter head to an elementary school entrance ceremony Monday in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. The town suffered heavy damage in a March 25 earthquake. KYODO PHOTO

The schools had postponed entrance and opening ceremonies for the new academic year from April 1 due to damage to some buildings.

"During spring break, I was looking forward to going to junior high," said Chinatsu Yoneda, who came from an evacuation shelter with her parents to attend the enrollment ceremony at Monzen Junior High School.

At Monzen-Nishi Elementary School, which was used as a shelter until Thursday, principal Kunio Kakuma addressed 73 students.

"We had to go through a long and hard spring break due to the sudden quake, but we could finally welcome this memorable day," Kakuma said.

The magnitude-6.9 quake killed one person, injured around 280 and flattened about 300 homes.