The aftershocks threatened to bury more homes and block crucial roads for the delivery of aid, while the deaths from the earthquakes that shook the western coast of Japan Last week they exceeded a hundred on Saturday.
Among the dead was a 5-year-old boy who was recovering from injuries he suffered when the earthquake Monday’s magnitude 7.6 caused boiling water to be spilled on him. His condition suddenly worsened and he died on Friday, said Ishikawa Prefecture, the worst-affected region.
Authorities warned that roads, already cracked by the dozens of tremors that continue to shake the area, could collapse completely. The risk increased with rain and showers expected overnight and into Sunday.
The death toll had reached 98 people early on Saturday, but two more were reported in the town of Anamizu as authorities held their daily meeting to discuss strategy and damage. Within a couple of hours, another 10 were reported in Wajima, bringing the official count to at least 110.
Most of the deathly victims They were in the city of Wajima, where 69 were registered, and in Suzu, with 23. More than 500 people were injured and at least 27 were seriously injured.
The tremors They left roofs collapsed on the asphalt, with everything they had left crushed. The roads deformed like rubber. A fire reduced a Wajima neighborhood to ashes.
More than 200 people were still missing, although the figure has fluctuated after appearing two days ago. Eleven people were trapped under two houses that collapsed in Anamizu.
The house where Shiro Kokuda, 76, grew up in Wajima was saved, but a nearby temple burned and he was searching for his friends in evacuation centers.
“It has been very hard,” he said.
Japan It is one of the fastest aging societies in the world. The population of Ishikawa and nearby areas has decreased over the years. Its fragile economy, focused on crafts and tourism, is more threatened now than ever.
In an unusual gesture from neighboring North Korea, Kim Jong Un sent a message of condolences to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
Japan He had received condolences and promises of help from US President Joe Biden and other allies.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that everyone, including the North Korean, was grateful. According to Hayashi, the last time Tokyo received a message of condolences from Pyongyang due to a disaster was in 1995.
Some observers suggest the North may want to build an image of Kim as a normal leader, but others indicated it is seeking to improve relations with the country as a way to weaken three-way cooperation between Tokyo, Washington and Seoul.
The electrical supply in the japanese coast It was being restored little by little, but water was still scarce. Emergency systems were also damaged.
Thousands of soldiers brought water, food and medicine by land and air to the more than 32,000 evacuees staying in auditoriums, schools and other facilities.
The national newspaper Yomiuri reported that its aerial survey detected more than 100 landslides in the area and that some cut off crucial roads.
The urgency of the rescue operation intensified as the days passed. But some of those who clung to life, trapped between pillars and walls, were rescued.
Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
