The death toll from the magnitude-7.6 earthquake that struck Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture on New Year’s Day has risen to 126, officials said Saturday. Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA-EFE
The death toll from this week’s devastating magnitude-7.6 earthquake in Japan has surpassed 120 with hundreds of residents still unaccounted for, officials said Saturday.
Japanese authorities confirmed at least 126 people have died while more than 200 remain missing following the quake on New Year’s Day. Advertisement
The majority of those missing are thought to be located around the cities of Suzu and Wajima, located approximately 33 miles apart in Ishikawa Prefecture on western Japan’s Noto Peninsula.
Many people are believed to be trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings and officials believe survivors could be spread across approximately 100 separate locations.
Mud and rock slides have also destroyed dozens of homes, and were directly responsible for at least three deaths Saturday, authorities in the town of Anamizu reported.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday pleaded with emergency personnel to continue with rescue efforts despite the diminishing chances of finding many more people alive five days after the powerful quake.
Hopes were raised that more people could still be alive in the rubble when a woman in her 90s was rescued from a collapsed house in Suzu on Saturday. Advertisement
Earlier in the week, Ishikawa Gov. Hiroshi Hase indicated a vital 72-hour window to find victims alive would expire Thursday, with little hope of trapped survivors persevering beyond that.
“Please do all you can for the rescue operation and work to save as many people as possible, without giving up,” Kishida said in his message to rescue officials Saturday.
Authorities have reported more than 500 injuries as a result of the quake.
At least 30,000 residents have been forced out of their homes and are relying on more than 350 shelters in the region, many of which are without water or electricity.
Approximately 5,400 members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces are now deployed to the region to help.
Officials are also worried looming rain in the forecast could worsen the situation and cause further avalanches with the ground already unstable.
