Continued Efforts to Rescue Survivors of Deadly Earthquake in Japan

Thousands of rescuers continue their efforts to save more survivors of the earthquake in Japan, which has left at least 84 dead. This comes as the three-day period set for rescuing those trapped under the rubble ended on Thursday afternoon, January 14. Fumio Kishida, the Prime Minister of Japan, stated in a press conference, "Even after more than 72 hours since the disaster, we must continue our efforts to save people." According to emergency responders, the chances of survival decrease 72 hours after an earthquake. Officials report that 156 people have been rescued so far, but there is no information on at least 179 others. The extent of the damage from the earthquake and subsequent tsunami is still unclear, but rescuers are trying to reach the northernmost areas of the peninsula, which have suffered the most casualties due to severe road destruction. Ishikawa officials have stated that three days after the disaster, access to 30 villages remains impossible. They also announced that even with the aid received, many individuals who have been rescued from the rubble are deprived of access to food, water, electricity, and communications in the cold weather. The mayor of Wajima city mentioned that the 3,000 meals and 5,000 bottles of water delivered to them by Wednesday are insufficient for the 11,000 people evacuated from the earthquake-affected areas. He identified the most critical issue as transportation conditions, stating that "the blocked roads not only hinder the aid process but also complicate the restoration of electricity, water, mobile phone service, and other vital infrastructure." It is reported that by Thursday, nearly 100 blocked points on the roads have been observed. According to one rescuer, the arrival of aid to Wajima is taking longer than usual due to severe road damage. He said, "It seems that those evacuated from the area will have to live in very harsh conditions for a while." Access to basic facilities such as the internet, medical supplies, and clean sanitation services is also facing shortages. The government has committed to actively providing logistics instead of waiting for official requests from local officials. To expedite the aid process, some assistance is also being sent via sea instead of land. However, Hiroshi Hase, the governor of Ishikawa, stated on Thursday that due to the bending of the seabed caused by the earthquake, larger ships have been unable to dock in some bays of the Noto Peninsula. Concurrently, as commercial centers in Japan reopened after the New Year holidays on Thursday, the Tokyo Stock Exchange observed a minute of silence in honor of the earthquake victims and the deaths of five coast guard members due to the Tokyo airport incident instead of ringing the bell to mark the start of trading. The 7.6 magnitude earthquake on Monday, January 11, shook western Japan with over a hundred aftershocks. Although the damages from this earthquake have not yet been fully assessed due to its magnitude, the severe earthquake did not scare anyone in Japan, but the Japanese are concerned about the possibility of a tsunami. The New Year began in Japan with a severe earthquake and tsunami warnings.