MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — Power was restored to Misawa City late Saturday night, raising hopes that Misawa Air Base soon would follow suit.
Japanese companies provide the base with its electricity.
But as of 10 a.m. Sunday, the base was still without power, except for a few key locations using generators.
“We are definitely working the situation,” base spokesman Tech. Sgt. Phillip Butterfield said Sunday morning. Power will be restored “hopefully sooner than later,”
Millions across Japan, including Misawa base residents, lost power when a massive and deadly earthquake struck at about 2:40 p.m. Friday. The sub-freezing temperatures in northern Japan left people to fend mainly for themselves Friday night.
“I’m just hoping that (the power) comes on quickly,” said base family member Tamarro Washington.
Misawa Air Base suffered only minor structural damage in the initial quake, and no injuries were reported.
Only a handful of families spent the night in the Potter Fitness Center’s gym Saturday night, sleeping in military-issue sleeping bags on rows of neatly lined cots. Several aftershocks rattled the gym throughout the night.
Recovery efforts were still underway Sunday. Officials began distributing gas from the military gas station, and a long line of vehicles snaked through orange cones in the parking lot as people waited for fuel.
American Forces Network radio deejays also continued to broadcast updates. According to AFN, as of Sunday morning:
The base hospital is fully operational.
The commissary would be open Sunday and Monday. Officials said they were out of charcoal, C and D batteries, candles and bread. Supplies were on their way from Tokyo, but officials couldn’t predict delivery time because of the road conditions.
The main base shoppette was open but all items were being rationed. Customers could buy no more than two of any item.
