A powerful earthquake has wreaked havoc in central Japan, with the death toll exceeding 80 and 180 people reported missing in Ishikawa Prefecture as of Thursday. The earthquake, which struck on New Year’s Day, has led to ongoing search and rescue operations.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called for a “maximum effort” to save as many lives as possible in the first 72 hours following the magnitude 6 earthquake, a critical period after which the survival rate of victims is said to drop sharply.
According to the Kyodo news agency, the central government plans to allocate about 4 billion yen ($28 million) from a reserve fund to double the number of Self-Defense Force members involved in rescue operations and other efforts to 4,600, according to the Kyodo news agency.
As reported by Kyodo, the full extent of the damage in Ishikawa Prefecture is not yet clear due to damaged roads and communication disruptions. Many people are believed to be trapped under the rubble in Wajima, where the main market was destroyed by fire, the news agency reported. About 780 people are stranded in areas like Wajima and nearby Suzu as the roads leading to the affected areas have been cut off.
Wednesday’s rain has raised concerns about potential landslides in the earthquake-affected areas. More than 30,000 people have taken shelter in evacuation centers in Ishikawa Prefecture as of Thursday. At least 200 buildings have collapsed or been partially damaged, according to the central government.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that Monday’s earthquake on the Noto Peninsula was centered 30 kilometers east-northeast of Wajima. A major tsunami warning was issued in the Japanese city of Shika as the earthquake measured 7 on the magnitude scale. This is the first major earthquake since the 2011 magnitude 9 earthquake that struck northeastern Japan.
(With inputs from Kyodo news agency)
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