Japan earthquake: Death toll expected to rise as rescue to find survivors continue

At least 30 people have been killed in the devastating 7.5 magnitude earthquake that rocked the nation on Monday, with coastal towns being warned to get to higher ground as they braced for a 5 metre tsunami.

That warning has since been lifted by Japan’s Meteorological Agency, but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has stated that damage was “widespread” and warned that the current death toll was likely to rise.

He added that it was a “race against time” to rescue victims, however efforts to find anyone trapped had been hindered by damaged roads, making it difficult to assess the full extent of the damage.

“Very extensive damage has been confirmed, including numerous casualties, building collapses and fires,” he told reporters.

The Japan Meteorological Office said the country had been hit by 155 earthquakes since the initial tremor on Monday.

In the coastal town of Suzi, which has just over 5,000 households located near the earthquake’s epicentre, there have been as many as 1,000 houses destroyed, according to mayor Masuhiro Izumiya.

“The situation is catastrophic,” he said.

The true scale of the destruction on the Noto Peninsula emerged on Tuesday morning, with buildings still on fire, houses flattened, fishing boats sunk or washed ashore and highways hit by landslides.

“It was such a powerful jolt,” Tsugumasa Mihara, 73, told AFP as he queued with hundreds of others for water in the shell-shocked town of Shika.

“What a terrible way to start the year.”

Half of those who have been killed so far lived in the town of Wajima.

Aerial news footage showed the terrifying scale of a fire that ripped through Wajima, where a seven-storey commercial also building collapsed.

Almost 33,000 households were without power in the region, which saw temperatures touch freezing overnight, the local energy provider said. Many cities were without running water.

The 7.5-magnitude quake struck the area on the Sea of Japan side of the main island of Honshu on Monday, triggering tsunami waves over a metre high, damaging homes, and setting off a major fire.

Japan’s meteorological agency has warned of possible serious earthquakes that may hit over the next week, especially in the next two to three days.

In 2011, Japan was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake resulting in a tsunami that tore through Japan’s northeastern coastal communities.

More than 18,000 people were killed, while tens of thousands more were displaced.

The disaster triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima power plant, causing the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

Most of Japan’s 54 reactors have been offline since this disaster.

The Australian government’s travel advice website, Smartraveller, issued a warning for Australians in the area.

“Significant earthquakes have occurred off the coast of Ishikawa Prefecture in Central Japan,” it said.

“There’s been damage to infrastructure, including roads and buildings. There may be disruptions to essential services, including transport.

“If you’re in an affected area, be prepared for further aftershocks, take all tsunami warnings seriously, monitor the media and follow the advice of local authorities.”

The government has warned in an emergency, “consular help may be severely limited”.

Australians are urged to maintain a basic emergency supply kit, secure their passport in a safe waterproof place, and make sure they react to any evacuation orders.

–With AFP