Death toll rises to 62 as survivors face rain and landslides

Japan, Jan 03 - Japanese rescuers were scrambling to search for survivors as authorities warned of landslides and heavy rain after a powerful earthquake that killed at least 62 people.

The 7.5-magnitude quake on Monday that rattled Ishikawa prefecture on the main island of Honshu triggered tsunami waves more than a metre high, sparked a major fire and tore apart roads.

The prefecture’s Noto peninsula was most severely hit, with several hundred buildings ravaged by fire and houses flattened in several towns, including Wajima and Suzu. Satellite before-and-after images released on Wednesday gave some idea of the scale of destruction.

The regional government announced Wednesday that 62 people had been confirmed dead and more than 300 injured, 20 of them seriously.

The toll was expected to climb as rescuers battled aftershocks and poor weather to comb through rubble.

More than 31,800 people were in shelters, the government said. Japanese media reports said tens of thousands of homes had been destroyed.

“More than 40 hours have passed since the disaster. We have received a lot of information about people in need of rescue and there are people waiting for help,” prime minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday after an emergency taskforce meeting.

“Rescue efforts are being made by the local authorities, police, firefighters and other operational units, while the number of personnel and rescue dogs is enhanced.

“However, we ask you to remain fully mindful that we are in a race against time and to continue to do your utmost to save lives, putting people’s lives first,” Kishida said.

The operation was given extra urgency as the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a heavy rain warning in the area.