Rescuers race against time in search for survivors in Japan after powerful quakes leave 62 dead
Suzu (Japan) (AP): Rescue workers and canine units urgently sifted through rubble in the winter cold Wednesday in what the prime minister called a race against time after powerful earthquakes in western Japan left at least 62 people dead and dozens believed trapped under collapsed buildings.
Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas were rattled by a major 4.9 magnitude aftershock in the early hours among the dozens of aftershocks that have followed a magnitude 7.6 temblor two days ago.
The first 72 hours are especially critical, experts say, because the prospects for survival greatly diminishes 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 told reporters. "We have received reports many people are still waiting for rescue under collapsed buildings."
Relief officials were delivering water, blankets, food and other supplies. Noto's narrow peninsula landscape has added to the challenges in reaching some communities. Water, power and cell phone service were still down in some areas.
"Hardly any of the homes are standing. They are either partially or totally destroyed," said Masuhiro Izumiya, the mayor of Suzu city, which suffered heavy damage.
Besides the military and firefighters, search dogs have joined the effort to search for dozens of people who are thought to be trapped, although the exact number is unclear.
Weather forecasts warned of heavy rainfall in Ishikawa, leading to worries about landslides and further damage to half-crumbled homes. Temperatures were also dropping lately to below freezing levels.
Of the deaths, 29 were counted in Wajima city, while 22 people died in Suzu, according to Ishikawa Prefectural authorities. Dozens of people have been seriously injured, including in nearby prefectures. Two additional deaths were still awaiting official confirmation in Wajima, meaning the overall toll would likely grow to 64 people.
Ensuring adequate water supplies and bathroom services to those who have evacuated were a priority, according to Ishikawa Gov. Hiroshi Hase.
He encouraged everyone to use masks, antiseptic and soap to guard against the spread of infectious diseases, another growing fear the region faces as life at evacuation centers drags on.
But residents on the coastline were already picking up the pieces, like Noto resident Kazuyuki Iwaike, who was deep in thought as he cleaned up his home. It was by sheer chance he had avoided death. He was not home when the tsunami struck.
"I always thought it was someone else's problem, thinking there is no way a tsunami would come," he said.
Officials warned that things were unpredictable and possibly bigger quakes could hit.
As a quake-prone nation with crisscrossing fault lines and many volcanoes, Japan has had its share of disasters, including a quake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in northeastern Japan in 2011.
Japan is also an organized, conformist and relatively crime-free society, where warning systems are systematically relayed as a public service. Disaster experts say that's helping save lives, but they warn people shouldn't let their guard down.
Boats lay overturned in water, roads were blocked by mounds of dirt, and shovels scooped scattered pillars and walls from flattened homes. A major fire turned an entire section of Wajima city into ashes.
Adding to the worries are the several nuclear plants in the region, although no major problems or rise in radiation levels have been reported. Shika nuclear plant in Ishikawa suffered partial electricity failure, but backup power kicked in, ensuring the critical cooling process continued.
On Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings for other coastal areas. The tsunami warnings were lifted Tuesday. The latest quakes have not come with tsunami warnings.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined President Joe Biden and other world leaders in expressing empathy for the Japanese.
"Our hearts go out to our friends in Japan," he said. "We will provide, and have offered, whatever support is requested by our friends in Japan."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
