Japan earthquake death toll rises as rescuers struggle to reach isolated villages | Earthquake news

Heavy rains are expected on Thursday, increasing the risk of landslides and further complicating relief efforts.

Japanese rescuers continue to search for survivors of Monday's earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture, where authorities warned that heavy rain, landslides and frequent aftershocks could hamper relief efforts.

The regional government said on Wednesday that 62 people had been confirmed dead and more than 300 injured, 20 of whom were in serious condition.

She warned that the death toll was likely to rise further.

The 7.6-magnitude quake struck on Monday afternoon off the Noto Peninsula, flattening homes in Suzu on its northern coast and sparking fires that swept through parts of the nearby city of Wajima. It also led to torn up roads, adding to the challenge of search and rescue.

The government said more than 31,800 people were staying in shelters.

“More than 40 hours have passed since the disaster struck. We have received a lot of information about people who need rescue and there are people waiting for help,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said after an emergency task force meeting.

He added, “Rescue efforts are being made by local authorities, police, firefighters and other operational units, while the number of personnel and rescue dogs is being strengthened.”

Kishida said the central government is trying to provide assistance to the worst-hit areas on the Noto Peninsula by ship because the roads have become almost impassable. Japan's Self-Defense Forces are also using helicopters to reach isolated villages, Kyodo News reported.

Further complicating relief efforts, the Japan Meteorological Agency forecast heavy rain, which could increase the risk of landslides.

90 percent gone

In Suzu, Suzu Mayor Masuhiro Izumiya said there were “almost no houses standing.”

“About 90 percent of the homes [in the town] “It has been completely or almost completely destroyed… The situation is truly catastrophic.”

The local utility authority said nearly 34,000 households remained without power in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Many cities were without running water.

The US Geological Survey measured the earthquake's magnitude at 7.5, while the National Meteorological Agency estimated its magnitude at 7.6 and issued a major tsunami warning, which was later lifted.

Monday's quake was one of more than 400 to have shaken the region as of Wednesday morning, according to the National Meteorological Service.

Four of the world's tectonic plates meet in Japan, making the country particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.

They are exposed to hundreds every year, but most cause little or no harm.

Although the death toll from Monday's quake continues to rise, quick public warnings, broadcast via radio broadcasts and telephones, and a quick response from the public and officials appear to have limited some of the impact.

People are prepared, and evacuation plans and emergency supplies are in stock, said Toshitaka Katada, a professor at the University of Tokyo who specializes in disasters.

“There are probably no people on Earth who are as prepared for disasters as the Japanese,” he told the Associated Press news agency.

A Japanese government report last year said the number of earthquakes in the Noto Peninsula region has been increasing steadily since 2018.

In 2011, northeastern Japan was hit by one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded. The 9.0 magnitude undersea earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that wiped out entire communities and brought disaster to the Fukushima nuclear plant. At least 18,500 people were killed.