Death toll rises to 30 in Japanese quakes: local gov't

TOKYO, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to 30 after a series of powerful earthquakes hit the area in central Japan and the vicinity, national news agency Kyodo citing local authorities.

A series of building collapses and fires left at least 30 people dead in the most-hit Ishikawa prefecture.

As more damage reports and information about people trapped continued to come in regarding other municipalities, injuries were reported in Niigata, Toyama, Fukui and Gifu prefectures due to collapsed or damaged buildings.

Calling the rescue of those impacted by the earthquakes a battle against time, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that the government has already dispatched a number of self-defense force troops to the impacted areas and will continue to provide assistance.

A series of strong earthquakes, with major ones of up to a preliminary 7.6 magnitude, hit on Monday at a shallow depth on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency has officially named it the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.

Since Monday, Japan has been hit by at least 155 quakes.