Japan earthquake: Death toll hits 110 as more people remain trapped under rubble

The death toll from the New Year’s Day earthquake in Japan climbed to 110 on Saturday as a search for survivors buried in the rubble of collapsed buildings continued.

The west coast of the country was struck by a magnitude 7.6 quake, destroying infrastructure and shattering power links to 22,000 homes in the Hokuriku region.

Rain hindered efforts to sift the rubble for survivors as more than 30,000 evacuees awaited aid.

By 4 p.m. (0700 GMT) on Saturday, there were 110 confirmed deaths, up from 94 the day before, according to the Ishikawa government website. More than 200 individuals are still unaccounted for following the deadliest earthquake in almost eight years.

As the death toll surpassed 100, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared, “I am keenly aware of the extent of the damage caused.”

The Prime Minister told government officials to speed up emergency efforts to restore trunk roads ripped up by the quake so that rescue and relief activities could be increased.

The rising casualties are the highest since a toll of 276 in quakes in 2016 in the southwestern region of Kumamoto, a tally that includes related deaths.