Ishikawa Earthquake Death Toll Climbs to 180 in Japan

As of now, 180 people have been confirmed dead in Japan due to the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that occurred on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture off the east coast of Japan on the 1st. However, the number of people out of contact has significantly decreased.

According to Japanese media outlets such as Nikkei and Yomiuri on the 9th, as of 9 a.m. that day, there were a total of 180 deaths, 565 injuries, and 120 MIA. This is an increase of 12 deaths from the previous day, while the number of people who are MIA has decreased by about 200. The number of injured stands at 565.

The worst-hit areas within Ishikawa Prefecture were Wajima City and Suzu City, with 81 and 71 deaths respectively. This is the first time the earthquake death toll has exceeded 100 since the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, which claimed 276 lives.

According to reports, many reports are being received of people buried under collapsed houses. Furthermore, rescue operations are facing difficulties due to worsening weather conditions such as heavy snowfall and cold, aftershocks, and damage to various infrastructures raising the possibility of further casualties.

According to NHK, Suzu City recorded 5.1 inches of snowfall as of 10 p.m. the previous day, and heavy snow fell in many parts of Ishikawa Prefecture. Moreover, up to 3.9 inches of snow is forecasted in the Noto region until this morning.

As of 2 p.m. the previous day, it was reported that about 18,000 households in Ishikawa Prefecture were without power, and 59,000 households were without water. In particular, Asahi Shimbun reported that almost all areas of Nanao City are without water, causing difficulties for residents in securing drinking water.

In addition, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency, there were as many as 1,200 aftershocks of magnitude 1 or more from the 1st to 4 a.m. the previous day. The agency warned residents of the possibility of earthquakes of similar magnitude to the earthquake on the 1st in the coming days.

Nikkei reported that about 28,000 displaced people are currently staying temporarily in approximately 400 shelters after the earthquake, and caution is needed against hypothermia and infectious diseases.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government held a meeting this morning and decided to allocate a budget of 4.74 billion yen (approximately $41 million) to support the victims of the Noto earthquake. Asahi reported that it is preparing to increase the size of the emergency fund included in the new year’s budget from the current 500 billion yen.

By. Seong Won Jang