Rescue crews in Japan are faced with a lot today difficult weather conditions as they continue their efforts to locate survivors of the powerful earthquake that struck the country on New Year’s Day because of at least 62 people have lost their livesaccording to a more recent interim report.

Japanese authorities have warned of heavy rain throughout the day today and possible landslides throughout the affected area, on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecturea long strip of land in the Sea of ​​Japan.

“Remain alert for landslides until Wednesday night,” the Japan Meteorological Agency warned.

Alongside destroyed roads, damage to infrastructure and the fact that the most affected areas are highly isolated further complicate the work of rescuers. The full extent of damage and casualties remains unknown two days after the earthquake.

Moreover some areas are unstable due to the first, central earthquake that occurred on New Year’s Day at 16:10 (local time, 09:10 Greece time) with a magnitude of 7.5 according to the US Geophysical Institute (USGS) and 7.6 according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Since hundreds of other earthquakes have been felt, some of them powerful. Hundreds of buildings in the South Peninsula have been partially or completely destroyed.

“With a magnitude 7.5 earthquake we should expect aftershocks for many months”geologist Robin Lacassene, director of research at the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research of France), told AFP yesterday.

An Ishikawa district official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there were “62 dead” and more than 300 injured.of which 20 are in serious condition.

The death toll may rise as investigations are expected to last a long time even in the rural areas where there are many villages to which access is difficult. In addition, people may remain trapped in the debris of their homes, according to the NHK television network.

“Catastrophic” situation

More than 33,000 people have been displaced from their homes, according to authorities and nearly 34,000 households are still without electricity in the Ishikawa region. Many don’t even have running water.

Masuhiro Izumiya, mayor of Suzu, said that “virtually no houses are standing anymore” in this small town located at the far end of the southern peninsula near the epicenter of the earthquake, according to the television network TBS.

“Almost 90% of the houses have been completely or partially destroyed (…) The situation is catastrophic”he added.

The mayors of the worst-hit areas today called on the Japanese government, during an emergency meeting to deal with the disaster, to restore roads and immediately deliver aid to those affected.

“Even those who narrowly escaped death cannot survive without food and water”Izumiya pointed out. “We haven’t received a single loaf of bread”he added.

Shigeru Sakaguchi, the mayor of Uajima, said he was grateful for the government’s effortsbut complained that so far it has received just 2,000 meals for about 10,000 displaced people.

“Some people get very cold because there are areas where there is no access to electricity and consequently in heating”, explained. Many roads have been cut off and areas outside the city center are only accessible by helicopter, he noted.

“Fight Against Time”

“More than 40 hours have passed since the initial earthquake. It’s a battle against time and I think now is a critical moment in that battle.”Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during a press conference.

The Japanese government has set up a sea route to provide aid to those affectedwhile some larger trucks can now reach more remote areas, Kishida added.

Meanwhile China has announced that it is ready to offer aid to its neighboring country, the Chinese Foreign Ministry pointed out. Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said there were no Chinese citizens among the victims of the earthquake.

Japan, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.

In March 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan, due to which an extensive tsunami was caused. This disaster cost the lives of approximately 20,000 people. The earthquake also damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.