Aftershocks continue to shake Japan’s western coast after death toll from earthquakes rises to 62
- The series of earthquakes on Tuesday also damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned that more earthquakes could lie ahead
- ‘This is far from over,’ said Toshitaka Katada, a University of Tokyo professor specialising in disasters, warning that the situation remains unpredictable
The series of powerful earthquakes that hit western Japan on Tuesday also damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned that more earthquakes could lie ahead.
The damage was so great that it could not immediately be assessed. Japanese media reports said tens of thousands of homes were destroyed.
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Water, power and mobile phone service were still down in some areas. Residents expressed sorrow about their uncertain futures.
“It’s not just that it’s a mess. The wall has collapsed, and you can see through to the next room. I don’t think we can live here any more,” Miki Kobayashi, an Ishikawa resident, said as she swept around her house.
The house was also damaged in a 2007 earthquake, she said.
Two of the latest reported deaths came from Suzu, where the death toll grew to 22 people, according to city officials. Twenty-four people died in nearby Wajima city.
Although casualty numbers continued to climb gradually, the prompt public warnings, relayed on broadcasts and phones, and the quick response from the general public and officials appeared to have limited some of the damage.