At least 20 people have been reported dead after a massive earthquake hit the coast of central Japan on New Year’s Day with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warning that damage was “widespread” and casualties were likely to rise.
The 7.6 magnitude quake struck on Monday afternoon near the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, triggering the country’s first major tsunami warning since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that left about 18,500 people dead or missing in the northeast.
Speaking on Tuesday, Kishida said “extensive damage” had been confirmed with the quake bringing down buildings and triggering fires.
Casualties were “numerous” he said, adding that it would be a “race against time” to rescue victims.
The tsunami warning, which was later downgraded, was lifted on Tuesday morning.
Citing local authorities, Kyodo news agency reported more than 20 deaths from the disaster. Public broadcaster NHK said 15 had died in the hard-hit town of Wajima near the epicentre, where 14 people were reported to be trapped in collapsed buildings. In nearby Suzu, it said some doctors were unable to reach a hospital that was relying on a backup generator for power.
Japan’s disaster management agency said it had received unconfirmed reports of 19 deaths earlier on Tuesday but official updates on the toll have been infrequent.
The Japan Meteorological Office said the country had been hit by 155 earthquakes since the initial tremor on Monday.
Wajima was hit by a tsunami of at least 1.2 metres (4 feet) and aerial news footage showed devastation from a major fire as a seven-storey building collapsed at the port.
The fire engulfed a row of houses with people being evacuated in the dark, some with blankets and others carrying babies.
Nearly 100,000 people across nine prefectures were evacuated and spent the night in sports halls and school gymnasiums, commonly used as evacuation centres in emergencies in Japan.
Almost 33,000 households remained without power in Ishikawa prefecture early on Tuesday morning, according to Hokuriku Electric Power’s website. NHK said most areas in the northern Noto Peninsula were also without water.