As of Monday, the death toll from the New Year’s earthquake in Japan has risen to 161, up from 128 reported the previous day, according to authorities.
In Ishikawa, the central region and the epicenter of the 7.5-magnitude quake on January 1, the number of people with unknown whereabouts has decreased from 195 to 103.
The seismic activity toppled buildings, ignited fires, and triggered tsunami waves. Thousands of rescuers from across Japan have mobilized to aid in relief efforts, facing challenges due to road closures and around a thousand landslides.
Complicating rescue operations, the region has experienced snowfall for the past two days.
Against all odds, a nonagenarian who endured five days under the rubble of a collapsed house in Suzu was rescued on Saturday. Rescuers, captured in a video disseminated by local media, encouraged her with shouts of “Hang in there!” amidst the rain, assuring her that everything would be okay.
Unfortunately, many others have been less fortunate. In Anamizu, on the same peninsula, a 52-year-old man who lost his 21-year-old son and in-laws anxiously awaits news about other family members.
The icy weather could exacerbate conditions for the over 28,800 individuals in 404 government shelters. Constant rain increases the risk of new landslides, while snowfall might lead to further building collapses under its weight, warns the regional government.
Over 2,000 people in various Noto Peninsula communities remain isolated due to damaged roads, hindering the arrival of relief vehicles. Consequently, aid materials have been delayed in reaching areas without water and electricity.
As of Sunday, around 20,700 houses in the Ishikawa region were without power, and more than 66,100 lacked water.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that the top priority is rescuing people trapped under debris and reaching isolated communities. The military has dispatched small groups of troops on foot to each isolated community, and helicopters from the police and fire departments have been deployed for aerial access.
While Japan experiences hundreds of earthquakes annually, strict building codes have historically mitigated damage. However, many structures, especially in rural areas like Noto, are old. The country still bears the scars of the devastating 2011 earthquake, which triggered a tsunami, claimed around 18,500 lives, and led to a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima plant.