KUALA LUMPUR – The death toll as a result of the New Year’s Day quake that hit Japan has risen to 30 today, with half recorded in the city of Wajima.
The Ishikawa prefectural government attributed most of the casualties to a huge blaze that tore through the residential areas.
Earlier, Kyodo News reported that seven people had died at the Wajima Municipal Hospital, while six deaths were recorded in the prefecture.
The 7.6-magnitude tremor that struck at about 4pm (3pm Malaysia time), which triggered tsunami waves more than 1m high, also caused dozens of collapsed houses and some residents remain trapped.
Japan public broadcaster NHK reported that dozens of people have been injured in four other prefectures including Niigata and Toyama, while officials in Wajima say a fire broke out in its city centre, damaging more than 50 premises.
Meanwhile, the country’s Meteorological Agency has downgraded all tsunami warnings to advisories along the Sea of Japan, but urged the public to remain on the alert for possible quakes and tsunamis.
Two generators at Nanao’s thermal power plant have been shut, leaving tens of thousands of households in Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama prefectures without power.
Despite footage of the quake being shared on social media, major mobile and fixed-line carriers are suffering service disruptions in the affected prefectures.
The Shinkansen bullet train services are also affected as the Akita, Hokuriku and Joetsu lines were partially suspended yesterday.
At least nine domestic flights connecting the worst-hit prefectures to Tokyo and Osaka have been cancelled today. The runway and terminal at the Noto Airport in Ishikawa have been closed.
Travellers are advised to check on the latest flight information on the respective airline websites.
Expressways are partially closed mainly in the hardest-hit areas.
Yesterday, South Korea issued a tsunami warning after the quake while Russia and North Korea are on alert.
According to the Malaysian embassy in Tokyo, there were no reports of Malaysians being harmed by the quake and after-jolts.
“Malaysians in the affected areas are advised to remain vigilant and follow the latest updates and advice issued by the local authorities,” the embassy said. – January 2, 2024