Japanese rescue teams race to locate survivors as the death toll from the earthquake rises
After a string of powerful earthquakes, Japanese emergency response teams are sifting through the debris as the number of fatalities rises.
Rescue operations become an urgent mission when victims are trapped for more than 72 hours, as their chances of survival drastically decrease.
“We’ve gone over 40 hours,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared. “This is a race against time.”
The prime minister said, “We have heard that many people are still waiting for rescue beneath collapsed buildings.”
After the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked the island’s west coast on New Year’s Day, which prompted evacuations and emergency response, earthquakes still shake Ishikawa prefecture.
Disaster response workers have been providing food, water, and blankets to the impacted population and setting up temporary housing for residents who have lost their homes.
How many people in Ishikawa Prefecture are still buried beneath the debris is unknown.
Since January 1, a number of aftershocks have been recorded, including a 4.9-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday that caused additional damage to the infrastructure in the area.
According to reports, the disasters have injured over 300 people, more than two dozen of them critically.
Approximately 33,000 people are currently being housed in evacuation centers. The authorities have issued a warning, stating that more earthquakes may occur in the days ahead.
