Death toll rises to 110 after powerful quakes jolt Japan

The death toll has risen to 110 in the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa after earthquake up to 7.6 magnitude struck the prefecture and its vicinity, amid fears of escalating casualties despite intensified rescue and search efforts. 

A total of 211 people was reported missing in Ishikawa as of Saturday, local media cited local authorities as reporting.

Although the critical first 72 hours, crucial for rescue operations, have passed, search and rescue efforts remain underway in multiple areas of Ishikawa, despite harsh challenges of road closures and adverse weather conditions.

The road inaccessibility has made it difficult for large transport machines to reach the disaster areas, further complicating the relief efforts.

To the worse, rainy weather expected on Saturday may trigger mudslides and landslides in the affected region.

Moreover, with no improvement in traffic disruptions, relief supplies can not be delivered timely to the disaster-stricken area, aggravating the scarcity of food, water, and fuel in the hardest-hit areas, deepening grief and anguish for local residents.

A series of strong earthquakes, with a major one measuring 7.6 magnitude, struck at a shallow depth in the Noto region of Ishikawa on Monday.  Centered around 30 km east-northeast of Wajima, the most-hit coastal city, the devastating quake registered a maximum intensity of 7.

(Source: Reuters)

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