By Yoji Iwamoto and Hiroyuki Taira / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior WritersSome residents in areas struck by the Kumamoto Earthquake speak with surprising eloquence about how they have suffered from the disaster. However, their lucid accounts may be the result of overcompensation for the emotional scars the great disaster has left on them. The seemingly endless chain of aftershocks has resulted in deep mental trauma felt by the disaster victims, who experienced 17 severe jolts ranging from 5 to 7 on the 7-point Japanese seismic intensity scale over a weeklong period. We have visited quake-hit areas in the neighboring prefectures of Kumamoto and Oita, which lie along active fault zones. This has...
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