Over 200 Dead and 102 Missing After Strong Earthquake Hits Noto Peninsula, Japan

"100 Times Higher Probability of Earthquake Magnitude 5 or Greater"

The death toll from the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on New Year's Day reached 202 as of the 9th.

Kyodo News reported that Ishikawa Prefectural authorities announced this figure as of 2 p.m. on the same day.

Roads and houses have collapsed due to the impact of a strong earthquake on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The number of deaths by area is 91 in Suzu City, 81 in Wajima City, 20 in Anamizu Town, and 5 in Nanao City. The number of injured remains at 565, the same as the previous day.

The number of residents unaccounted for has significantly decreased to 102 from 323 the previous day. This is attributed to ongoing search operations and the restoration of communication services in some areas.

However, some areas in Ishikawa Prefecture are still experiencing power outages, water supply disruptions, and communication blackouts. According to NHK, as of that day, 15,800 households in Ishikawa Prefecture remain without electricity. Additionally, 24 locations with approximately 3,300 residents are confirmed to be isolated due to road closures.

About 28,000 residents are currently living in evacuation shelters in Ishikawa Prefecture.

NHK reported that the Japanese government decided at a cabinet meeting on the same day to allocate 4,737,900,000 yen (approximately 43.3 billion won) from contingency funds to support the earthquake-affected areas. Furthermore, the number of Self-Defense Force personnel dispatched to the affected regions was increased from about 6,100 to 6,300.

Meanwhile, the Japan Meteorological Agency stated at a press conference the previous day that although the probability of a strong earthquake of seismic intensity 5 upper or higher has decreased to about half, it remains more than 100 times higher than usual. They also urged caution for about a month regarding earthquakes with a maximum seismic intensity of 5 upper or higher.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.