Japan earthquake death toll rises to over 60 with severe power, water shortages

 



The death toll in the devastating earthquake that hit Japan on New Year's Day has reached 62.  An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck Japan in mid-afternoon on Monday, destroying many buildings.  Meanwhile, relief and rescue operations are underway in Japan and search for people buried under the debris is underway.  According to officials, residents of some coastal areas have been forced to flee to higher places after the devastation.



 At the same time, Meteorological Department officials said that heavy rain is expected in the earthquake affected areas , due to which the possibility of landslides has increased.  Relief and rescue operations in Japan are difficult due to broken roads, damaged infrastructure, and the remote location of the most affected areas.  Authorities have confirmed 62 deaths so far, up from 55 late Tuesday.



 Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed his government to ensure that survivors received basic amenities, including electricity and water.  "Please do everything in your power to save as many people as possible, while keeping in mind that this is also a fight against time," Kishida said during a disaster response meeting.  He said survivors may be unable to return home for some time.



Nearly 34,000 households were still without power in Ishikawa prefecture, the local utility said. Many cities were without running water.

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