Japan earthquake: Death toll rises to 161, number of missing crosses 320

The death toll from a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Japan on New Year’s Day has risen to 161, reported AFP news agency citing local authorities on Monday (Jan 8). The number of unaccounted peoplemore thantripled from 103 to 323, it said citinga list published by local authorities.

Rescue efforts underway

Earlier on Monday it had been reported that the number of those missing had fallen to 103 from 195. However, the number tripled afterWajima, one of the worst-hit places after the January 1 earthquake, raised thenumber of people unaccounted forfrom 31 to 281, reported AFP.

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According to local officials, snow has complicated rescue efforts after the earthquake, the shockwaves from which toppled buildings, sparked a major fire and triggered tsunami waves over a metre high.

Japan has since deployed thousands of rescue workers across the country. However, their efforts have been hampered by an estimated 1,000 landslides following the earthquake. To make matters worse, the region has also been blanketed in snow in the last two days.

The regional government has warned that continuous rain would lead to more landslides and heavy snow could cause more buildings to collapse under its weight.

The drop in temperature might also worsen conditions for more than 28,800 people in 404 government shelters.

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As many as 2,000 people in several communities in the remote peninsula have been cut off due to damaged roads. Additionally, landslides have blocked aid vehicles carrying relief materials for areas suffering water and power outages.

The New Year started on a sombre note for Japan as on the afternoon of January 1, the powerful quake shook the Noto Peninsula, located on the west coast of the quake-prone country.

“The first priority has been to rescue people under the rubble, and to reach isolated communities,” said Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in an interview with NHK on Sunday.

He also spoke about how the military has sent small groups of troops to each of the isolated communities on foot. The government has also “deployed various police and fire department helicopters” to reach them, Kishida added.

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As of Sunday (Jan 7), around 20,700 households in the wider Ishikawa region remained without electricity and more than 66,100 households were without water, reported AFP.

Woman in her 90s pulled out of debris

The updated death toll came a day after a woman in her 90s was miraculously pulled alive from a collapsed house in the western region of the earthquake-hit country.

The woman from Suzu City, Ishikawa prefecture, defied the odds as well as death to emerge alive out of the rubble nearly five days after one of the most devastating earthquakes to hit Japan in recent history.

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“Hang in there!” rescuers were heard calling to the woman amid rain, reported AFP citing a police footage posted on social media. “You're gonna be OK!” they said.

(With inputs from agencies)