Japan quake horror as 48 already found dead

JAPAN – Dozens of people are still missing and unaccounted for amid the New Year’s disaster, with the death toll expected to rise sharply as rescuers begin to recover victims buried beneath the debris. Forty-eight people were confirmed dead in Ishikawa, the prefecture worst hit by the tremblor, officials said, while damage to homes was so great that it could not immediately be assessed.

The savage incident sparked a wave of panic buying across Japan, as residents sought to stock up on essentials even as aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa and nearby areas a day after the 7.6 magnitude quake slammed the area on Monday afternoon.

One building, believed to be a seven-storey block, was seen lying on its side while a temple in Suzu City is said to have been completely destroyed. Shocking images show how even houses specially designed to withstand earthquakes were flattened, with abandoned cars tossed about and engulfed by huge crevices in the road.

A major search and rescue operation continued into Tuesday, with Japan’s Prime Minister saying that rescue efforts had been made ‘extremely difficult due to damage to roads’ in the Ishikawa prefecture, near the epicentre of the quake. But fears are growing that time is running out to find survivors trapped beneath the surface. The main highway through the district was completely closed, according to reports.