In the early hours of Tuesday morning, January 2, on the coast of the Sea of Japan, one aftershock hit after another – more than 150 since the powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake the day before – with initial reports of 48 deaths in Ishikawa and dozens of injuries in several counties including Ishikawa, Niigata, Fukui and Gifu. Several people are reportedly trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. The death toll is thought to be limited, however, thanks to the effectiveness of warning messages and construction standards Japan has adopted.
Tsunami warnings were lifted on Monday night after waves did not cause any damage, but the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) continues to call for vigilance along the coast from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu Island in the southwest. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered the deployment of 1,000 Self-Defense Force (SDF, the Japanese army) soldiers to the affected areas, despite "difficult access due to blocked roads." Rescue and relief supplies will be transported by air or sea. "Very extensive damage has been confirmed, including many casualties, collapsed buildings and fires," said Kishida. "We are fighting a battle against time" to save lives, he added.
Daybreak revealed the extent of the damage. Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa prefecture, closest to the epicenter, suffered a landslide. Houses collapsed and the walls of its castle were damaged.
The worst-hit towns are on the Noto peninsula, a few dozen kilometers north of Kanazawa. In the port of Wajima, a fire destroyed around 50 buildings in the neighborhoods near the Kawaharata River, known for their old houses and the market erected every morning that sells seafood caught overnight. The six-story building housing the offices of Goshimaya, a manufacturer of specialty lacquered objects, collapsed. A local hospital is treating some of the injured in the parking lot.
Wajima was also hit by the highest tsunami wave. Measuring 1.2 meters, it reached the port some 10 minutes after the most powerful quake. Waves of no more than a few tens of centimeters were observed along much of the Archipelago's northern coastline and as far north as Russia and the Korean peninsula.
Power cuts affected over 35,000 homes and forced hospitals to run on generators. To add to the tragedy of the victims, the cold intensified overnight. It was - 2°C on the peninsula at daybreak, and rain was expected to fall later. Rail traffic came to a standstill. Nearly 1,400 people were stranded on Shinkansen high-speed trains. Staff distributed food and water. The West Japan Railway Company is expected to restart some of its operations by midday on Tuesday.
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