The death toll from the powerful earthquake that hit Japan more than a week ago has risen to 161. Hundreds of people are still missing. Rescue work is still going on.
The Ishikawa administration said the Noto region was the worst hit. As the death toll rises, the number of missing in the region falls. As of Monday, the number of missing people has reduced from 195 to 103.
A 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Japan’s Noto region on the afternoon of the first day of the new year. Immediately after the earthquake, the local administration issued a tsunami warning. Initially, however, the magnitude of the earthquake was said to be 7.4. A day later the tsunami warning was lifted.
The intensity of the earthquake was so high that its tremors were felt even from the capital Tokyo. Within 10 minutes of the earthquake, a 12-foot-high wave hit Wajima Port in Ishikawa Prefecture.
In a meeting at the disaster response headquarters in his office, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered officials from relevant ministries and agencies to conduct rescue operations resolutely and thoroughly to save as many lives as possible.
Authorities are still delivering relief supplies to roads damaged by the earthquake in Ishikawa. Authorities said more than 31,000 people were evacuated to 357 shelters.
A major fire broke out in Wajima after the earthquake. Hundreds of buildings and a seven-story building were destroyed.
In March 2011, the country was hit by an undersea earthquake of magnitude 9. As a result, a huge tsunami hit. About 18,500 people died in it.
More earthquakes are felt in Japan than any other country in the world. Due to geographical location, the country experiences more earthquakes. An average of 2,000 earthquakes occur in the country every year. Most of the earthquakes are weak. But the country has many records of terrible earthquakes.
