After earthquake: at least 21 dead in Japan – warning of aftershocks Passengers tried to smuggle gold in the rectum and coffee machine – without success

The death toll from a series of powerful earthquakes on Japan’s west coast has continued to rise. At least 21 people have died in the hard-hit Ishikawa prefecture, the Japanese daily “Yomiuri Shimbun” reported on Tuesday. The meteorological authority has withdrawn a warning about tsunami waves issued for the entire west coast of Japan in the morning (local time) the day before. The vibrations caused significant damage. About 100,000 people were asked to seek safety during the New Year celebrations.

Countless houses collapsed or fell victim to fire, roads tore open and power went out in tens of thousands of households. Several people suffered injuries. In the hard-hit town of Wajima in Ishikawa, more than a hundred houses and businesses were burned down in one neighborhood, local media reported. Low flames were still burning Tuesday morning and firefighters were still working. Thick smoke hung over the area. Other houses had collapsed or severely damaged. About 1,000 people were housed at an air base in Wajima and provided with blankets, water and food, the government announced.

Meanwhile, the series of earthquakes continued. A particularly strong earthquake had reached a magnitude of 7.6 the day before. The epicenter was in the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture. The weather bureau then issued a strong warning of a possible five-meter tsunami for Ishikawa, which was later lifted. Lower tsunami warnings remained in effect for all other coastal areas in the west. The earthquake was felt from Hokkaido in northern Japan to the southwestern main island of Kyushu. Several tidal waves of about one meter high reached the coast.

The tremors caused landslides and trees fell on roads. Several boats lay keel-high in the harbor basin. There were reports of burst water pipes. The Tokyo government set up a crisis team and the armed forces were called in for disaster relief in Ishikawa. The meteorological authority warned this week of further strong earthquakes, especially in the first two or three days after the particularly strong quake on New Year’s Day.

In March 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake caused a massive tsunami that destroyed large areas in the northeast of the country and killed about 20,000 people. A disaster occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The island kingdom of Japan in the Far East is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. (sda/dpa)