Central Japan Quake Death Toll Rises to 168

From Jiji

January 8 2024

Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref – The death toll from the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that recently struck Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula rose to 168 in the central Japan prefecture on Monday.

An additional 323 people were unaccounted for after the Jan. 1 temblor, which logged a seismic intensity of up to 7, highest on the country’s scale.

While the full extent of the damage is still unknown, seismic activity remains heightened.

Major roads were temporarily closed due to snow. Searches for missing people continued.

At a disaster response meeting in Tokyo, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the central government will designate the quake as an extremely severe disaster eligible for expanded state aid for postdisaster restoration projects.