Japan earthquake: ‘Race against time to find quake survivors’

Firefighters search collapsed houses hit by earthquakes. Pic/AP

Rescue workers and canine units urgently sifted through rubble Wednesday ahead of predicted freezing cold and heavy rain in what the prime minister called a race against time after powerful earthquakes in western Japan killed 73 people. Dozens are believed trapped under collapsed buildings.

Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas were rattled by a 4.9 magnitude aftershock early Wednesday - one of dozens of aftershocks that have followed Monday's shallow magnitude 7.6 temblor with an epicenter at Noto, Ishikawa prefecture, about 300 km from Tokyo on the opposite coast. The shaking set off tsunami warnings, followed by waves measuring more than 1 meter (3 feet) in some places.

The first 72 hours are especially critical, experts say, because the prospects for survival greatly diminish after three days. "More than 40 hours have passed. This is a race against time, and I feel that we are at a critical moment," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. "We have received reports many people are still waiting for rescue under collapsed buildings," he added.

73
No. of people confirmed dead so far

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