Leave your thoughts
WAJIMA, Japan (AP) — A series of powerful earthquakes that struck western Japan have killed at least 55 more people and destroyed thousands of buildings, cars and boats. Authorities warned Tuesday that more earthquakes could strike.
READ MORE: Japan Withdraws Tsunami Precaution, Urges Caution After Series of Earthquakes
Aftershocks continued to rattle Ishikawa Prefecture and nearby areas a day after a magnitude-7. 6 temblor struck the region.
The damage was so severe that it was not possible to assess it immediately. According to Japanese media, tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said 17 other people were seriously injured and gave a lower figure, saying he was aware of the prefecture’s count.
Water, electricity and cell phone service remained cut off in some areas. Residents expressed sadness about their future.
“It’s not just that it’s a disaster. The wall has collapsed and you can see the room next door. I don’t think we will be able to live here anymore,” said Miki Kobayashi, a resident of Ishikawa, as he walked through his home.
The space also ruptured in an earthquake in 2007, he said.
Although the number of casualties continued to rise gradually, immediate public warnings, broadcast by radio and telephone, as well as immediate reaction from the general public and the government, appear to have limited some of the damage.
Toshitaka Katada, a professor at the University of Tokyo who specializes in disasters, said others were prepared because the region had been hit by earthquakes in recent years. They had evacuation plans and emergency materials in stock.
“There is no one on earth, apart from the Japanese, who is so prepared to deal with a catastrophe,” he told The Associated Press.
Japan suffers earthquakes because of its location along the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and faults in the Pacific basin.
Katada warned that the situation remains precarious and unpredictable. The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan were preceded by other earthquakes.
READ MORE: Japan’s neighbors share fear and frustration over radioactive water release
“It’s from the end,” Katada said.
Scientists’ predictions have been proven wrong on several occasions, such as in the 2016 earthquake in southwestern Kumamoto, a domain that in the past was thought to be relatively unscathed.
“Relying too much on science is very dangerous. We’re dealing with nature,” Katada said.
Aerial images from Japanese media showed extensive damage in the worst affected areas, with landslides burying roads, boats thrown into the water and a fire reducing an entire part of the town of Wajima to ashes.
Japan’s military has sent 1,000 troops to the affected areas to join rescue efforts, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday.
“Saving lives is our priority and we are fighting against time,” he said. “This is about other people trapped in their homes being rescued immediately. “
An earthquake with an initial magnitude of 5. 6 shook Ishikawa’s domain as he spoke. Earthquakes continued to shake the region, triggering more than a hundred aftershocks over the past day.
Nuclear regulators said several nuclear plants in the region were operating normally. The 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused the meltdown of three reactors and released gigantic amounts of radiation at a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.
On Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a primary tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or warnings for the rest of the west coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu, as well as the northern island of Hokkaido.
The caution was eased a few hours later and all tsunami warnings were lifted Tuesday morning. Waves measuring more than a meter (3 feet) lashed some places.
Still, half-sunken ships floated in bays where tsunami waves had rolled in, leaving a muddied coastline.
READ MORE: China Earthquake Survivors Endure Freezing Temperatures in the Middle of the Night in Transitional Shelters
People evacuated from their homes piled up in auditoriums, schools and network centers. High-speed trains in the area were halted, but service was largely restored Tuesday afternoon. Sections of highways were closed.
Weather forecasters predicted rain, setting off worries about crumbling buildings and infrastructure.
It includes tourist sites noted for their lacquerware and other classical crafts, as well as cultural heritage sites.
U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement that his administration was “ready to provide any necessary assistance for the Japanese people.”
Kageyama reported from Tokyo. Cameraman Richard Columbo contributed from Wajima.
Thank you. Please your inbox to confirm.
Thank you. Please your inbox to confirm.