Japan earthquake: Nearly 250 missing as hope for survivors fades
Rescue efforts are underway in Japan as authorities race to locate 242 individuals who are missing in the aftermath of a destructive earthquake on New Year’s Day.
The crucial 72-hour window for finding survivors following the 7.6 magnitude quake concluded late on Thursday. By Friday, the death toll in the remote Noto peninsula had risen to 92.
Japan’s Self-Defense Forces have escalated their rescue and relief operations, increasing the number of participating troops to 4,600, as reported by Kyodo news agency.
Many individuals are believed to be trapped under collapsed homes, particularly in the towns of Suzu and Wajima. These wooden structures were not designed to withstand the frequent powerful earthquakes in the region.
Tens of thousands of residents are still grappling with power and water outages, while hundreds remain cut off from assistance due to landslides and blocked roads.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, following a meeting with disaster response officials on Friday, asserted, “We will not give up.” He urged rescue and relief teams to spare no effort in reaching the affected communities.
In addition to the quake’s impact, a small tsunami triggered on Monday evening flooded at least 296 acres (120 hectares) of land, according to Japan’s land ministry.
Japan had said it would spend 4.74 billion yen ($34m; £27m) in budget reserves to assist the victims.
Photos posted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force showed troops loading food, drinking water, and toiletries onto trucks that were lined up on the road. Troops can also be seen clearing mud and debris from landslide-hit roads.
In another photo, troops were shown carrying a survivor on a stretcher over a snow-covered trail.
The BBC saw extensive destruction on a visit to Wajima on Wednesday, where some homes and vehicles were crushed under crumbling concrete. Many of the town’s old, traditional wooden homes had collapsed.
The town with a population of 23,000 now resembles a ghost town as most heeded early evacuation warnings, when tsunamis were forecast.
