100 dead, 211 missing after powerful quakes jolt Japan

TOKYO, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to 100 in the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa after a series of earthquakes of up to 7.6 magnitude struck the prefecture and its vicinity, amid fears of escalating casualties despite intensified rescue and search efforts.

A total of 211 people were reported missing in Ishikawa as of Saturday, local media reports showed citing local authorities.

On day six of the earthquake, the most-hit coastal city of Wajima confirmed 59 deaths, facing about 100 reports about people being buried and trapped under collapses of buildings.

Aftershocks still jolt the region, and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said a 5.4-magnitude earthquake hit the Noto region at 5:25 a.m. local time on Saturday at a depth of 10 km, measuring upper 5 on the country's seismic intensity scale of 7.

With rain expected on Saturday for the region, the JMA warned local residents to stay alert for possible mudslides.

Infrastructure has suffered severe damage in Ishikawa, with around 24,000 households facing power outages and 66,000 households left without water in 14 cities and towns as of 8 a.m. local time on Saturday, national news agency Kyodo reported.

A series of strong earthquakes, with a major one of 7.6 magnitude, on Monday struck at a shallow depth in the Noto region of Ishikawa.

Centered around 30 km east-northeast of Wajima, the devastating quake registered a maximum intensity of 7.