Outbreak Of Flies, Rats, And Other Pests After The Great Tsunami In Japan

Abstract:
More than a half million ton of frozen fish, fresh fish and processed sea foods were strewed around the Tsunami disaster areas from fishing port and huge freezing storehouses located along the saw-toothed coastline, approximately 35 minutes after the Great East Earthquake on March 11, 2011. Large populations of the black blow fly, Calliphora nigribarbis larvae were found under rotten fish in the early May. Adult flies invaded residential areas from the end of May to early June. Phormia regina and other blow flies were replaced by the C. nigribarbis after middle June. The pest control operators from all over Japan were requested to spray rubble heaps and rotten fish in the affected areas from May to September. Etofenprox emulsion was selected as an insecticide due to its efficacy and low avian toxicity. With integrated efforts of the insecticide spraying, replacement of rubble heaps or dried-up rotten fish, fly population declined from the end of July. In 2012, no fly problem was observed in the Tsunami affected area. Rat infestation became a public health concern as 87% rubble heaps were positive with rats. Since these rats were likely to escape from rubble to residents nearby, we recommend controlling the rats with rodenticides by local administrations and pest control operators in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures.