NANAO, Japan — Japan was struggling to grasp the extent of the damage from an earthquake that struck its west coast on Tuesday, leaving at least a dozen people dead, buildings and highways destroyed, and people stranded in subzero temperatures. A wide range of homes lost power.
Earthquake of provisional magnitude 7.6 RBI A tsunami of about 1 meter (3.3 feet) hit Japan's west coast mid-afternoon on Monday, prompting residents in some coastal areas to evacuate to higher ground.
Thousands of soldiers, firefighters and police officers from across the country were dispatched to the hardest-hit areas of Ishikawa Prefecture's relatively remote Noto Peninsula.
But rescue efforts have been hampered by badly damaged and blocked roads, and one of the region's airports has been forced to close due to cracks in the runway.
Many trains, ferries and flights to the area have also been suspended.
“Searching and rescuing victims of the earthquake is a race against time,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at an emergency disaster conference on Tuesday.
Mr Kishida said rescue teams were finding it extremely difficult to reach the northern tip of the Noto Peninsula due to destroyed roads, and helicopter surveys revealed numerous fires and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure. He said it was discovered.
Local media reported that more than a dozen people have been confirmed dead so far, mainly in Wajima city, which was hard hit and close to the epicenter of the earthquake that caused a massive fire on Monday.
The National Police Agency confirmed that six people were dead, and the Fire and Disaster Management Agency announced that 19 people were in a state of cardiac arrest.
More than 140 tremors have been observed since the earthquake first struck on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The agency warned that a stronger shock could occur in the coming days.
Nobuko Sugimori, 74, a resident of Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, told Reuters that this was the first time she had experienced an earthquake of this magnitude.
“I tried to support the TV so it wouldn't fall, but I couldn't stop it from shaking violently from side to side,” Sugimori said from his home, which had large cracks in the front wall and furniture scattered around it. Ta. internal.
Across the street, a car was trapped under a collapsed building, leaving residents in another crisis.
Fujiko Ueno, 73, said there were about 20 people in her home celebrating the New Year when the earthquake occurred, but miraculously they all survived.
“It all happened in an instant,” she said, standing in the rubble of debris and mud oozing from the cracked surface of the road. A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck central Ishikawa Prefecture on Monday.
President Joe Biden said in a statement that the United States stands ready to provide any necessary assistance to Japan following the earthquake.
“As close allies, the United States and Japan share deep ties of friendship that unite our peoples. Our thoughts are with the people of Japan during this difficult time,” he said.
The Japanese government on Monday night ordered more than 97,000 people to evacuate their homes and take shelter in gymnasiums and school gymnasiums normally used as evacuation centers in emergencies.
Many people returned to their homes on Tuesday after authorities lifted the tsunami warning.
However, as of early Tuesday morning, about 33,000 households in Ishikawa Prefecture remained without power, according to Hokuriku Electric Power's website. According to a report by NHK, most areas in the northern part of the Noto Peninsula also lack water supply.
In response to the earthquake, the Imperial Household Agency announced that the New Year's appearance of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled. Prime Minister Kishida postponed his New Year's visit to Ise Grand Shrine, which was scheduled for Thursday. A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck central Ishikawa Prefecture on Monday.
Nuclear power plant
The quake comes at a delicate time for Japan's nuclear industry, which has faced fierce opposition from some local residents since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. The entire town was destroyed in the disaster.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority announced that there were no abnormalities at the nuclear power plants on the Sea of Japan side, including the five operating reactors at Kansai Electric Power's Oi nuclear power plant and Takahama nuclear power plant (Fukui prefecture).
Hokuriku Electric Power's Shiga Nuclear Power Plant, which is closest to the epicenter, had already shut down two reactors before the earthquake for regular inspections, and the agency announced that there was no impact from the earthquake.
Chip materials maker Kokusai Electric said it was conducting further investigations after some damage was found at its Toyama factory ahead of a scheduled restart of operations on Thursday.
