WORLD> Asia-Pacific
22 schools badly damaged in Japan's quake-hit areas
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-18 17:00

TOKYO  -- The June 14 strong earthquake has badly damaged 22 of the 146 public elementary and junior high schools in Iwate and Miyagi, Kyodo News reported Wednesday, citing data jointly compiled by local governments and the news agency.

In Iwate Prefecture, buildings of 14 public schools suffered collapses of ceilings and walls and in Miyagi Prefecture the quake inflicted similar damage on eight schools.

Had the disaster taken place on a normal weekday when the classrooms are filled with pupils, the casualties might have been much heavier, said the report.

Education ministry officials attributed the structural damage to the aging of the school buildings, and detailed investigation will be conducted by the education ministry and local governments to pinpoint the causes.