Japan earthquake toll hits 62; thousands sheltered, rescue ops on amid aftershocks: 10 updates
The death toll from a powerful earthquake in central Japan has reached 62, with over 300 injuries reported. Tens of thousands of homes were destroyed and basic services such as water, power, and cell phone service remain disrupted amid aftershocks.
The death toll from a powerful earthquake that hit central Japan on New Year's Day has reached 62, a local government official said, adding that more than 300 injuries have also been reported, of which 20 are severe, AFP reported. Thousands of homes were destroyed, and water, power, and cell phone service were still down in some areas due to aftershocks.
Residents expressed sorrow about their uncertain futures. "It is not just that it is a mess. The wall has collapsed, and you can see through to the next room. I do not think we can live here anymore," Miki Kobayashi, an Ishikawa resident, said as she swept around her house, as per AP reports.
Japan earthquake: Here's a 10-point guide on this big story
1) Thousands of Japanese army personnel, firefighters, and police officers from across the country have been dispatched to the worst-hit area in the Noto peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture to rescue the survivors of the earthquake.
2) Although casualty numbers continued to climb gradually, the prompt public warnings relayed on broadcasts and phones, and the quick response from the general public and officials appeared to have limited some of the damage.
3) According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, more than 140 tremors have been detected since the quake first of magnitude 7.6 hit on Monday. The agency has warned more strong shocks could hit in the coming days.
4) Japanese media's aerial footage showed widespread damage in the hardest-hit spots, with landslides burying roads, boats tossed in the waters, and a fire that had turned an entire section of Wajima city to ashes.
5) Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of its location along the "Ring of Fire", an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin, according to AP reports.
6) Toshitaka Katada, a University of Tokyo professor specializing in disasters warned the situation remains precarious and unpredictable. The March 2011 quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan had been preceded by other quakes.
7) The earthquake comes at a sensitive time for Japan's nuclear industry, which has faced fierce opposition from some locals since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that triggered nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.
8) Nuclear regulators said several nuclear plants in the region were operating normally. A major quake and tsunami in 2011 caused three reactors to melt and release large amounts of radiation at a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.
9) The Japan Meteorological Agency on Monday also issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Japan's main island of Honshu, as well as for the northern island of Hokkaido.
10) People who were evacuated from their houses huddled in auditoriums, schools, and community centers. Bullet trains in the region were halted, but service was mostly restored by Tuesday afternoon. Sections of highways were closed.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Business NewsNewsWorldJapan earthquake toll hits 62; thousands sheltered, rescue ops on amid aftershocks: 10 updates
First Published:3 Jan 2024, 07:43 AM IST
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