The death count from the devastating earthquake that struck central Japan on January 1 has exceeded 200 as of Tuesday, with around 100 people still missing, according to official reports.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.5, caused significant destruction in the Noto Peninsula area of Honshu, Japan’s main island, during New Year’s Day celebrations.
It led to the collapse of buildings, fires, and widespread damage to infrastructure.
A week after the quake, rescue teams are contending with obstructed roads and adverse weather conditions to clear debris and reach about 3,500 individuals trapped in remote areas.
The regional authorities in Ishikawa announced that the death toll had risen to 202, an increase from an earlier count of 180, and the number of missing persons had decreased to 102 from 120.
The surge in missing persons to 323 reported on Monday was mainly due to updates in central databases, especially from the severely affected Wajima area. However, Ishikawa official Hayato Yachi stated that many families have since reported the safety of their loved ones previously listed as missing.
The relief efforts are being hampered by heavy snowfall in some areas, and as of Monday, nearly 30,000 individuals were taking refuge in about 400 government shelters.
These shelters are facing challenges in providing sufficient food, water, and heating. Additionally, almost 60,000 homes were without water, and 15,600 lacked electricity. The situation is further complicated by rain-induced landslides, estimated at around 1,000.
During a government disaster-relief meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed ministers to focus on ending the isolation of affected communities and to continue with persistent rescue operations.
He also suggested relocating some evacuees to regions outside the earthquake zone, as conveyed by top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi.
In a remarkable incident in Suzu, a city in Ishikawa prefecture, a woman in her 90s was rescued from under the debris of a collapsed house after surviving for five days.
Rescuers were heard encouraging the woman in police footage from the scene, which was released by local media.
