Japan Earthquake: Death Toll Rises, Hundreds Missing as Landslides Threaten Aftershocks

Japan began the new year facing natural disasters. An earthquake and tsunami altered the landscape drastically, causing widespread devastation. The death toll in Japan has climbed to 161, with over 100 individuals still unaccounted for. Furthermore, heavy snowfall has made search and rescue operations challenging.

Japan encountered a seismic event of magnitude 7.6, marking the fifteenth occurrence of such earthquakes accompanied by tsunamis. This series of disasters has disrupted communication for around 2000 individuals, prompting military efforts to locate and rescue those who managed to survive this tragic event.

Risk of Landslide

Authorities have issued warnings about the heightened risk of landslides in the Ishikawa region, exacerbated by substantial snowfall. The combination of the earthquake and wet weather has already prompted alerts for approximately 1,000 potential landslides in the area. As of Monday, nearly 18,000 households in the Ishikawa region experienced power outages, while on Sunday, over 66,100 homes had to cope with a lack of water supply.

Government Aid 

A total of 28,800 individuals finds themselves compelled to take refuge in government shelters, where they are grappling with issues related to water and electricity shortages. These individuals are forced to sleep on the bare floor. Initial reports from the media indicated that each person was only receiving a piece of bread and a cup of water daily, but later on, provisions shifted to full meals.

Expressing concern, Ishikawa Governor Hiroshi Hase emphasized the urgent need to prevent deaths linked to the ongoing disasters. He underscored the necessity of improving the challenging conditions prevailing in the shelters. As distress continues among the people of Japan, Governor Hase noted that the situation is expected to worsen, as the weather department has forecasted a heightened risk of landslides in the coming weeks.