US atomic bombings in Japan’s Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War 2 caused a mammoth destruction in the region. More than 2 lakh people were killed in the attack. When the incident took place 80 years ago on August 6, thousands of severely injured and dying individuals were transported to the small rural island of Ninoshima, located just south of the city. They arrived aboard military boats originally prepared for suicide missions.
Many victims had their clothes burnt and skin peeling off their faces and limbs. Their agonised cries echoed across the island.
Mass burials and lack of medical care
Due to the lack of proper medical supplies and care, only a few hundred managed to survive, PTI reported citing historical records. In the midst of confusion and urgency, the deceased were buried hastily in multiple locations.
Decades later, local residents continue searching for the remains of those still unaccounted for, driven by a deep need to honour the dead and bring comfort to survivors who are haunted by the disappearance of their loved ones.
Rebun Kayo, a Hiroshima University researcher, has been regularly visiting the island in search of the remains of people. He recently visited a hilltop point, where he has been excavating since 2018 in search of remains.
"Until that happens, the war is not over for these people," he said.
Man recovers bone fragments
So far, Kayo has uncovered nearly 100 bone fragments, including pieces of skulls and the jawbone of an infant, still bearing tiny teeth. He made the discovery at a location suggested by a resident of Ninoshima, whose father had seen soldiers burying bodies there eight decades ago after they were transported by boat from Hiroshima.
“The little child buried here has been alone for all these years. It is just intolerable,” Kayo said.
Ninoshima saw 3 weeks of chaos
Within just two hours of the bombing, victims started arriving by boat from Hiroshima at the island’s No. 2 quarantine center. The facility quickly filled with patients suffering from critical injuries. Many didn’t survive the journey. According to Hiroshima City records, Imperial Army personnel worked in continuous shifts, tasked with cremating and burying the dead on the island.
