Japan Earthquake: Death toll rises to 200
Local Japanese authorities have announced an increase in the death toll to 200 people following a powerful earthquake that struck the central part of the country on New Year’s Day.
The Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that local police, with the participation of 100 personnel, will begin today a wide-scale search operation under the rubble of a morning market engulfed in flames in Wajima. A large fire broke out following the earthquake, which measured 7.6 on the Richter scale.
More than 28,000 people are still taking shelter in evacuation centers in Ishikawa Prefecture, with reports of around 10 individuals contracting the coronavirus in three locations in one of the towns. At least 3,300 people, mostly in Wajima and the neighboring city of Suzu, remain isolated due to blocked roads.
Over 80 schools, including those in Wajima and Suzu, cannot resume classes due to the damage inflicted on facilities. In Wajima’s market, around 200 buildings were destroyed in the fire that started on January 1st, according to the local municipal government and firefighters. Many of the buildings in the market were wooden and held great popularity among tourists for their history spanning over 1,000 years.
The Japanese Cabinet approved the allocation of 4.74 billion yen (33 million dollars) from the reserve funds in the fiscal budget for 2023 to support the victims of the earthquake in the Noto Peninsula. This includes measures to assist the affected individuals in coping with the cold weather.
