TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday said that a major quake that hit country’s central part on New Year’s Day has caused extensive damage with numerous casualties.
Talking to media he said that there is a race against time to rescue quake victims. He added that very extensive damage has been confirmed due to the earth quake including numerous casualties, building collapses, and fires.
Japan Meteorological Office has said that the country has been hit by 155 earthquakes since Monday including a 7.6-magnitude jolt.
It said that most of the quakes had a magnitude more than 3 and while the strength has gradually moderated, six strong jolts were still felt early Tuesday.
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Authorities have said at least eight people died in a major earthquake that hit central Japan on New Year’s Day, triggering tsunami waves over a meter high, sparking a major fire and damaging homes.
Local authorities are still determining the scale of the damage from Monday’s quake. News footage show toppled buildings, countless charred homes, sunken boats at a port, and locals without electricity in freezing temperatures.
Major earthquake hits Japan
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale struck Ishikawa prefecture on the main island of Honshu.
However Japanese authorities put it at 7.6 and said it was one of more than 90 quakes that had shook the region as of 1:00 am Tuesday.
Russia and North Korea also issued tsunami warnings for specific areas in response to the earthquake.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi urged coastal residents to stay away from oncoming tsunamis, emphasizing the urgency of evacuation. Authorities warned that returning to homes could be dangerous even hours after the initial alert.
Despite initial warnings of waves reaching 5 meters (16.5 feet), the situation evolved with ongoing advisories and aftershocks, prompting authorities to stress the ongoing danger.
