Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged on Sunday to provide “uninterrupted” support to the areas devastated by the earthquake that occurred at the beginning of the new year, while snow and frost hamper rescue and relief efforts.
Local media reported that the disaster had killed at least 126 so far.
Bad weather conditions on the Noto Peninsula increased the hardships of survivors in the area where the epicenter of the 7.6-magnitude earthquake was located, displacing more than 30,000 people and cutting off electricity to tens of thousands of residential units and businesses.
At least 222 people are still missing, and more snow and heavy rain are expected to fall overnight in the area.
Footage broadcast by national broadcaster NHK showed construction trucks digging through piles of dirt three meters high to uncover homes buried by landslides.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a NHK program on Sunday that “rescuing those trapped under the rubble and responding to isolated areas are issues that must be addressed with the highest priority.”
Kishida said on Friday that his government would allocate 4.74 billion yen ($32.77 million) from budget reserves for reconstruction efforts.
The governor of Ishikawa Prefecture, where the Noto Peninsula is located, declared a state of emergency on Saturday, describing the earthquake as an “unprecedented disaster” for the region, NHK reported.
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