Atsuma, Hokkaido: A memorial ceremony was held in the town of Atsuma, Hokkaido, on Saturday ahead of the fifth anniversary of a powerful earthquake that hit the northernmost Japan prefecture.

Around 260 bereaved family members and others attended the event and observed a moment of silence.

“We have carved into our mind our resolve not to let (Atsuma) become a sad town forever buried in (the memories of) the disaster,” Atsuma Mayor Shoichiro Miyasaka said.

“Despite the time that has gone by, those who have lost family members or friends are faced with the never-ending grief,” Miyasaka said.

Noting that the town’s infrastructure restoration efforts are reaching an end this fiscal year, he added, “We will embark on full-fledged reconstruction efforts.”

The quake struck at 3:07 a.m. Sept. 6, 2018, marking the highest level of 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in Atsuma. Forty-four people died, including three quake-related fatalities, while over 2,300 homes were completely or partially destroyed.

The temblor also caused Japan’s first large-scale blackout across Hokkaido due to a suspension of thermal power plants and other factors.

Atsuma was hit by landslides. The total death toll in the town was 37.

“We will proceed with efforts centered around the local community to ensure that those affected in the disaster can continue to live safely in their hometown,” Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki said.

“I didn’t realize the importance of informing others of and preparing for (a disaster) until I lost loved ones and things that I treasured,” said Takeo Hatashima, who delivered a speech at the ceremony as a representative of the bereaved families.

He pledged to pass on to future generations the memories and lessons from the disaster.

JIJI Press