The United States announced today that it is preparing military support and aid for the regions in Japan affected by the earthquake, which has so far killed 92 people, devastated remote communities and displaced some 33,000 people.

“The US is here to support our friend and ally in its response to the earthquake. Military logistics support, food and other supplies are being prepared,” US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel wrote on social media platform X.

Japan is in talks with the US for emergency aid and has rejected offers of help from other countries, including for now China.

“We are currently not accepting personnel or aid from other countries or regions given the situation on the ground and the effort it would take to receive it,” said top Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi.

A US official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters the two governments were coordinating on possible assistance from US troops.

About 54,000 US personnel are based in Japan, making it the largest US military presence abroad, according to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

“All US Forces in Japan remain ready to support our Japanese allies during these difficult times. We cannot provide specifics on military support operations at this time, but we will provide updates when we have more to share,” US Forces Japan said in a statement.

There are 200 missing persons

The 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck western Japan’s Noto Peninsula on New Year’s afternoon, flattening homes, triggering a tsunami and cutting off remote communities.

The full extent of the damage remains unclear as rescuers struggle to reach hard-hit areas as roads and other infrastructure are damaged.

But with more than 200 people still missing, the disaster is likely to be the deadliest since 2016 and could be the worst since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan’s east coast.

The US will provide a $100,000 aid package that includes bedding, water and medical supplies, according to a statement released by the US embassy in Japan.

Tsunami damage

At least 1,200 hectares of land have also been inundated by the tsunami triggered by the earthquake, according to Japanese authorities.

“We still do not have a complete picture and it is possible that the area that has been flooded is larger,” a government official who asked not to be named told the Asahi newspaper.

Preliminary research by researchers at the University of Tokyo showed that the tsunami on the west coast of the peninsula may have reached its highest point at 4.2 meters above normal sea level.

The first wave of the tsunami may have reached the northernmost tip of the Noto Peninsula just a minute after the quake, leaving residents with no time to evacuate, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing an analysis by Tohoku University.

The details of the tsunami are unclear because the mechanism that provides data on tsunamis stopped transmitting data soon after the initial earthquake, the analysis said.

The Japanese Coast Guard has announced that it is investigating a man whose fate is unknown after he was swept away by the tsunami in the city of Suzu. This is the first known potential victim of the tsunami so far.