TOKYO, Jan 9 (NNN-NHK) – The death toll has climbed to 168, in Japan’s Ishikawa yesterday, after a series of earthquakes of up to 7.6 magnitude struck the central prefecture and its vicinity last week, as heavy snow and rain hampered rescue operations.
The number of people currently unaccounted for surged to 323, in the hardest-hit prefecture, as of 2.00 p.m. yesterday, while at least 565 people suffered injuries, according to local authorities.
The Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture recorded 1,218 tremors rated at least 1 on the country’s seven-tier seismic intensity scale, in the week that followed the powerful earthquake.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned yesterday that, quake-stricken areas are likely to experience powerful tremors, with an intensity of upper five or more on the Japanese scale in the coming month.
JMA official, Shinya Tsukada, told a press conference that, a quake as powerful as the 7.6-magnitude one on Jan 1, is less likely to take place, but there is continued seismic activity.
Tsukada warned of increased risk of building collapses and landslides, calling on people not to enter dangerous places, when engaging in recovery efforts.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, said yesterday that, 500 people could be temporarily housed in a sports centre in Kanazawa, but said, more evacuation centres were needed, adding that, the government was also working to find hotel rooms for evacuees.
Meanwhile, a cold air mass has been bringing snow to the Ishikawa prefecture and other parts of the Hokuriku region, as well as, Niigata Prefecture, according to the JMA.
As of 2.00 p.m. local time yesterday, snow accumulation in cities in the Noto Peninsula area had reached about 10 centimetres. The snowfall is also delaying rescue and recovery efforts there.
The weather agency urged people in the disaster-hit areas to take extra caution with the quake-damaged buildings, which could collapse under the weight of snow, and to stay warm to prevent hypothermia, amid severe cold.
The 2024 Noto Earthquake is the first to kill more than 100 people in Japan, since the 2016 Kumamoto quakes in the country’s south-western region, which claimed 276 lives.– NNN-NHK
