161 confirmed dead, 103 missing in Japan's quake-hit Ishikawa prefecture

TOKYO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has jumped to 161 in the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa as of 9:00 a.m. local time on Monday, one week after a series of earthquakes of up to 7.6 magnitude struck the prefecture and its vicinity, local media reported.

A total of 103 residents are currently unaccounted for and at least 565 people suffered injuries, according to national broadcaster NHK.

Of the deaths, 70 had been confirmed in both Wajima and Suzu cities, 11 in Anamizu Town, five in Nanao City, two each in the towns of Noto and Shika, and one in Hakui City, the report said.

Meanwhile, a cold air mass has been bringing snow to Ishikawa prefecture and other parts of the Hokuriku region as well as Niigata prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

As of 6:00 a.m. local time on Monday, snow accumulation in Ishikawa prefecture had reached 13 centimeters in Suzu, 11 centimeters in Nanao and nine centimeters in Wajima.

The weather agency urged people in the disaster-hit areas to take extra caution with quake-damaged buildings that could collapse under the weight of the snow and to stay warm to prevent hypothermia amid severe cold.