The death toll from the earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale that shook the Ishikawa prefecture, on the western coast of Japan, this Monday increased from 64 to 73, local authorities confirmed this Wednesday.
Most of the fatalities were recorded in the city of Wajima, with 39 deaths, and in Suzu, with 23. The rest were recorded in Nanao, Anamizu, Noto, Hukui and Shika.
More than 300 people were injured, 20 of them seriously, according to NHK television, which states that the authorities have once again warned that the death toll could be higher, since many people are still trapped in the rubble after the collapse of dozens. of homes and warned. that the situation could worsen in the coming days due to the rains.
Some areas were unstable due to the earthquake, which occurred on Monday at 4:10 p.m. local time (7:10 a.m. in Lisbon), which reached a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scale according to the United States Geophysical Institute (USGS) and 7.6 according to JMA.
The mayor of Wajima, Shigeru Sakaguchi, stated that in the last few hours the deaths of seven more people had been confirmed in the area, while the local authorities of Anamizu stated that, for the moment, six people have not yet been found.
Continued aftershocks, debris and damaged roads make rescue operations to find survivors difficult.
Ishikawa Governor Hiroshi Hase said roads were closed in large areas due to landslides or cracks, while “several” ships capsized at Suzu port.
“We will continue to work hard to understand the needs on the ground and continue to respond as best we can, including strengthening the distribution of goods and infrastructure security. As aftershocks continue to occur, we ask all citizens and residents of the prefecture to exercise maximum vigilance,” Hase wrote on his personal account on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
On Wednesday, Japan’s Land Ministry said in a statement that about 100 hectares in Ishikawa Prefecture were flooded by rising sea levels due to the earthquake.
The estimate is based on aerial images taken by a provincial rescue helicopter and shows the effects of the strong earthquake in the cities of Suzu and Noto. Among the most flooded areas is the port of Iida, in Suzu.
For their part, the Japanese health authorities announced that people affected by the earthquake will be able to access essential medications without the need for a medical prescription, a measure that will be applied in cases where it is especially difficult to access health centers.
Source: TSF
