Rescuers continue to scour a village in southwestern Japan for survivors of last week’s earthquakes. Their work has been hampered by more than 700 jolts. They are also expecting another obstacle, rain.
Authorities say the death toll from the quakes in Kumamoto Prefecture has risen to 48.
They are digging through piles of dirt dumped by landslides in a bid to find other 2 that remain unaccounted for. They say the number of those with injuries exceeds 1,000.
More than 100,000 people are taking refuge in cars and other temporary shelters.
Officials are raising the alert about the so-called economy class syndrome, in which blood clots develop when people are immobile for a long period of time.
They say one died from the condition and 10 others died after becoming evacuees.
Officials with the Meteorological Agency are warning people in the area to stay alert. The chief seismologist forecasts heavy rain for Thursday and says that means there could be more landslides.
Some services are returning to normal. The Shinkansen bullet train partially resumed operations Wednesday.
But people in many areas are still without electricity, water and gas.
Source and image: NHK
Join the Conversation