The Death Toll Of The Japanese Earthquake Increases To 73 People, The Rescue Team Drives With Time

Japanese Land Self-Defense Forces in locations affected by the earthquake. (Twitter/@JGSDF_MA_10D)

JAKARTA - The death toll from an earthquake that rocked Japan's west coast on New Year's Day rose to 73 people on Thursday, as rescue teams raced against time to search for survivors under the rubble of buildings, while tens of thousands of evacuees waited for help.

All the deaths from the 7.6 magnitude earthquake were reported in Ishikawa Prefecture, where the Noto peninsula was hardest hit. More than 33,000 people have been displaced from their homes and around 100,000 homes have no water supply, according to the local government, quoted by Reuters, January 4.

Thousands of rescue teams are racing against time to rescue more people still trapped under rubble, as freezing temperatures and heavy rain, while cut roads and remote locations in the worst-hit areas, complicate search and rescue efforts.

The extent of the damage and casualties remained unclear three days after the quake, which was Japan's deadliest since at least 2016. Nearly 600 earthquakes continue to hit the peninsula, raising fears of landslides and further damage to infrastructure.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a press conference after a national disaster response meeting on Wednesday that the Japanese government had opened sea routes to deliver aid and some larger trucks could now reach some of the more remote areas.

The rain added to the difficulties of rescue operations which were hampered by debris and damaged roads, as quoted by Kyodo News.

Separately, Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) will use helicopters to deliver supplies to remote areas, and local authorities are asking the central government to send SDF personnel on disaster relief missions. PM Kishida said the government had decided to increase the number of SDF members deployed to disaster locations, from 1,000 personnel to 2,000 personnel.

Meanwhile, city authorities said they had received information about several cases of people buried alive or trapped under collapsed houses in areas hit by the quake and continuing to experience aftershocks.

#自衛隊 は引き続き #令和6年能登半島地震 に係る #災害派遣 活動において、陸上・海上・航空自衛隊の統合により、人命救助活動を最優先に行いつつ、ニーズの高い生活支援活動を行っています。関係自治体等と緊密に連携し、万全を期して参ります。 pic.twitter.com/NN8ocjHct1

— 防衛省・自衛隊（災害対策） (@ModJapan_saigai) January 3, 2024