People walk past the rubble of a market in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, on January 2. Kyodo News/Getty Images
The death toll from the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan’s west coast on Monday has risen to 57, according to Japan public broadcaster NHK, citing officials from Ishikawa prefecture.
The quake shook the Noto Peninsula in the central prefecture of Ishikawa on Monday afternoon, collapsing buildings, sparking fires and triggering tsunami alerts as far away as eastern Russia.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency lifted all tsunami advisories along portions of the country’s western coast Tuesday, but more than 24 hours after the quake struck, there has been limited access to the northern part of the secluded Noto Peninsula.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters after a disaster emergency meeting Tuesday that a destroyed road had cut access to the area.
Officials in helicopters had flown over the peninsula, known for its coastal scenery and rural landscapes, and reported seeing damaged roads, landslides and large fires, he said.
“To secure the route there, we are to mobilize all the means of transport, not only on the ground but also by aerial and marine transport. We have been making an effort to transfer goods, supplies and personnel there since the last night,” Kishida said.
CNN’s Helen Regan, Sahar Akbarzai, Chie Kobayashi and Mayumi Maruyama contributed reporting to this post.
Source link: https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/japan-earthquake-plane-fire-news-01-02-24/index.html