Two days after a significant 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck western Japan, the death toll has climbed to 64. The Japan Meteorological Agency reports that several earthquakes ranging from magnitude 5 to 7 occurred off the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture on January 1st and 2nd.
Additional tremors of 5 and 5.5 magnitude were recorded today, Wednesday, followed by aftershocks. These seismic events have caused landslides, disruptions in electricity and water supplies, and cut off transportation to some villages.
Ishikawa Prefecture has updated the casualty figures to 64 fatalities in the latest report, an increase from the previously announced toll of 55 deaths.
Local municipalities are continuing to receive reports of individuals trapped beneath the rubble, awaiting rescue efforts.
Authorities have also warned of potential landslides due to expected rainfall on the peninsula.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced the deployment of 2,000 Self-Defense Forces personnel to the earthquake-affected region to aid in relief operations.
He stated that the flow of assistance and support materials to the area is steady.
Ishikawa Prefecture has also set up a multilingual hotline to offer advice to both local residents and foreigners in the area.
The Ministry of Health has instructed regional hospitals to provide necessary medical services even to those unable to present their health insurance cards.
Transportation infrastructure, including the runways of Noto Airport in Wajima City, the nearest airport to the Noto Peninsula, has suffered significant damage.
Maintenance work has begun on repairing the airport's runways, with services expected to resume by midnight on January the 4th.
The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan has reported that the land in the coastal city of Wajima has shifted nearly 3 meters to the west.
Earthquake experts appointed by the central government predict ongoing seismic activity following the recent earthquake and are continuing their investigations.
