A powerful earthquake that struck central Japan’s Noto Peninsula and surrounding areas on New Year’s Day has claimed at least 73 lives, according to the Kyondo news agency. The 7.6-magnitude earthquake caused significant structural damage and sparked a fire in the coastal city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Two days after the disaster, debris and collapsed roads continue to hamper search and rescue efforts. The full extent of the damage is yet to be revealed. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has warned of potential landslides and possible inundation of some villages in the affected areas until Thursday.
In response to requests from local officials, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are preparing to use helicopters to deliver supplies to areas cut off by the disaster. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced in a press conference on Wednesday that the government will double the number of SDF members working in disaster-affected areas from 1,000 to 2,000.
The distribution of relief supplies faced a setback when a Japan Airlines plane and a Japan Coast Guard plane carrying relief materials crashed at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Despite concerns that the accident would hinder the rapid distribution of supplies to the Noto Peninsula and its surrounding areas, Kishida assured that “Overall, we believe that there will be no impact from the accident.” Relief materials are gradually being transported to the area.
Municipal officials reported that many people have been buried alive or trapped in collapsed houses in the earthquake-affected areas.
The epicenter of the New Year’s Day earthquake was located 30 kilometers east-northeast of Wajima at a provisional depth of 16 kilometers and measured 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, making it impossible for people to stand. The last time such an earthquake was recorded in Hokkaido was in 2018, according to the weather agency.
(With inputs from Kyondo news agency)
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