More than 200 people have been injured and three people have died following an earthquake in Osaka, Japan on Monday 18th June 2018.
The earthquake, which hit a magnitude of 6.1, has caused roads to crack and thousands of residents have been left without power. Airports in the surrounding area were closed, but have since reopened, and rail services have been severely disrupted.
Residents and tourists have been advised that rainfall and the subsequent landslides remain a threat.
Those due to travel to Osaka and the surrounding cities should check with their airline before heading to the airport as delays are likely. If your flight has been delayed, check your travel insurance as you may be entitled to compensation. Some airlines will offer a small amount of compensation for each set block of time (usually 12 hours, but some policies will pay out after 6 hours) to contribute towards refreshments.
If your accommodation has been affected, and you have booked each component of the holiday i.e. travel and accommodation separately, check your policy for Force Majeure cover. Very few travel insurance policies will offer this cover as standard, and some will require an additional premium to be paid so make sure this is something you check for if you are planning to travel this summer.
It is important to note, all travel insurance policies brought after the earthquake will not offer Force Majeure cover for this particular incident, as it is a known event.