At least five dead after huge earthquake rocks Japan on New Year's Day (updated)

Hokuriku Electric Power Co

01/01/2024 23:20

(Adds NHK report on doctors unable to reach Suzu, paragraph 6)
       TOKYO, Jan 2 (Reuters) - The powerful earthquake that
hit central Japan on New Year's Day killed at least five people,
as police and local authorities early on Tuesday reported cases
of bodies being pulled from the rubble of collapsed buildings.
    The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck in the
middle of the afternoon on Monday, destroying buildings,
knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and prompting
residents in some coastal areas to flee to higher ground.
    It also triggered waves about 1 metre (3.3 ft) high along
Japan's long western seaboard as well as in neighbouring South
Korea.
    Army personnel were dispatched to help with rescue
operations, while one local airport remained shut down after the
quake tore open cracks in the runway.
    The extent of the damage as well as the toll remained
unclear a day after the disaster, with major roads to the
worst-affected areas badly damaged, hindering rescue efforts.
        Public broadcaster NHK reported doctors were unable to
reach the hospital in the hard-hit town of Suzu. It said the
hospital was relying on a back up generator because of a power
outage.
  
    A man in his 90s was pronounced dead after a building
collapse in Shika Town in Ishikawa prefecture, broadcaster NTV
reported citing local police.
    Kyodo News reported four deaths in Ishikawa, citing the
Prefectural Crisis Management Team, including a man and woman in
their 50s, a young boy, and a man in his 70s.
    
    Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters late on
Monday search and rescue teams were struggling to reach the
worst affected areas due to blocked roads.
    President Joe Biden said in a statement the United States
was ready to provide any necessary help to Japan after the
earthquake.
    "As close allies, the United States and Japan share a deep
bond of friendship that unites our people. Our thoughts are with
the Japanese people during this difficult time," he said.
    The Japanese government said as of Monday night it had
ordered more than 97,000 people in nine prefectures on the
western coast of main island Honshu to evacuate. They were
spending the night in sports halls and school gymnasiums,
commonly used as evacuation centres in emergencies.
    Almost 33,000 households remained without power in Ishikawa
prefecture early on Tuesday morning, according to Hokuriku
Electric Power's  9505.T  website.
    The Imperial Household Agency said it would cancel Emperor
Naruhito and Empress Masako's slated New Year appearance on
Tuesday following the disaster.
    
    NUCLEAR PLANTS
    The quake comes at a sensitive time for Japan's nuclear
industry, which has faced fierce opposition from some locals
since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that triggered nuclear
meltdowns in Fukushima. Whole towns were devastated in that
disaster.
    The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities were
found at nuclear plants along the Sea of Japan, including five
active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s  9503.T  Ohi and
Takahama plants in Fukui Prefecture.
    Hokuriku Electric's Shika plant, the closest to the
epicentre, had already halted its two reactors before the quake
for regular inspections and saw no impact from the quake, the
agency said.

    <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Strong earthquake hits central Japan    https://tmsnrt.rs/48GjcK5
Strongest quake in region in four decades    https://tmsnrt.rs/3TKToIn
Japan's quakes and tectonic plates    https://tmsnrt.rs/4aIDT9O
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
 (Reporting by Tim Kelly, Satoshi Sugiyama, Kantaro Komiya,
Sakura Murakami, Chang-Ran Kim and the Tokyo newsroom; Writing
by John Geddie and Hugh Lawson; Editing by Diane Craft and
Lincoln Feast.)
 ((hugh.lawson@thomsonreuters.com; +44 207 542 8384;))