The death toll resulting from a powerful earthquake in Japan, striking the west coast on New Year’s Day, has reached 73 as of Thursday. The search for survivors persists beneath collapsed buildings, with tens of thousands of evacuees awaiting aid. All reported deaths are concentrated in Ishikawa prefecture, particularly on the Noto peninsula, the most severely impacted area. Over 33,000 people have evacuated, and approximately 100,000 houses face water supply shortages, as reported by the local government.
Despite the efforts of thousands of rescuers racing against time amid freezing temperatures and heavy rain, the challenging terrain, severed roads, and remote locations in the hardest-hit areas have complicated their operations. The true extent of damage and casualties remains unclear three days after the magnitude 7.6 quake, now the deadliest in Japan since at least 2016. The Noto peninsula continues to experience nearly 600 aftershocks, heightening concerns about landslides and additional infrastructure damage.
In response to the crisis, Japan’s government has opened a sea route for aid delivery, and larger trucks are now reaching some of the more remote areas, according to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s announcement during a Wednesday press conference following a national disaster response meeting.