At least eight people died and many were left injured after 155 earthquakes, the strongest being of magnitude 7.6, struck western Japan leading to top-level tsunami alert in the country on New Year’s day. According to public broadcaster NHK, the earthquake has left at least eight people dead in Ishikawa Prefecture.
According to AFP, Japan has been hit by 155 earthquakes since Monday including a 7.6-magnitude jolt and another over 6, the Japan Meteorological Office said.
Meanwhile, Japan’s meteorological agency has lifted all tsunami advisories along the Sea of Japan, NHK added. The tremors have brought cracks in roads, knocked power from thousands of households and scared residents to deaths. According to Reuters, thousands of army personnel, firefighters and police officers have been dispatched to the worst-hit area in the relatively remote Noto peninsula.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held an emergency disaster meeting on Tuesday and said: “The search and rescue of those impacted by the quake is a battle against time.”
He said it was getting difficult for rescuers to reach the northern tip of the Noto peninsula due to wrecked roads. As per Reuters, the Japanese PM said that helicopter surveys had discovered many fires and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure.