Homes in parts of Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures remained without water and power on Friday following a powerful earthquake off northeastern Japan late Wednesday.

At least 20,000 homes in Miyagi and homes in parts of five Fukushima municipalities were still left without running water.

Around 200 homes in Miyagi and some 3,200 homes in Fukushima were still without power, Tohoku Electric Power Co. said.

The quake has left three people dead in Miyagi and Fukushima and 180 others injured in 12 prefectures, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency

In Osaki, Miyagi, where about 10,000 homes were without water, Self-Defense Forces troops set up water supply stations.

Shugo Suzuki, who was among a large number of Osaki residents waiting for their supply of water, brought several containers with him and received 50 liters of water.

“I wanted to bring a lot more containers,” Suzuki said, adding “I’ll probably need to come here for water two more times (for my family).”

He said that water containers have started to disappear from store shelves.

A corporate employee, who received water supply to use at work, said that she is covering plates with kitchen wrap so as not to waste water on washing the dishes.

This is one of the lessons learned from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which mainly hit the northeastern region, she said.

Expressway bus stops at Sendai Station in Miyagi were crowded with people as Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train service remained suspended following a train derailment caused by the quake.

Buses bound for Shinjuku and Tokyo stations in the capital are all fully booked, operator JR Bus Tohoku Co. said.

“It’s inconvenient that I can’t use the Shinkansen, since I’ve always used the bullet train to get here,” said Yosuke Yamazaki, a corporate employee who is currently on a business trip from Tokyo.

“I’ll try to see if there are any seats available on other buses,” he said.

JIJI Press