Death toll from Japan earthquake rises to 62

Search and rescue crews are racing against time to find any remaining survivors from the powerful New Year’s Day earthquake that struck off Japan’s western coast, killing at least 62 people.

Much of the damage from Monday’s magnitude 7.6 quake occurred in Ishikawa prefecture on the island of Honshu, with scores of homes and buildings destroyed or heavily damaged and an unknown number of people trapped in the rubble.

Bad weather is complicating the rescue efforts, with forecasts calling for heavy rains through Wednesday, raising fears of landslides in the earthquake-hit areas. The quake split roads into pieces and cracked open a runway in at least one regional airport, making it difficult for emergency officials to assess the damage.

The brunt of the damage in Ishikawa occurred in the port city of Wajima, famous for its morning market and fine lacquerware and other traditional crafts. Firefighters worked for hours Monday night to extinguish a massive fire that destroyed numerous buildings.

The earthquake triggered tsunami waves measuring more than one meter that swept across the region, washing cars and homes into the sea and scuttling scores of fishing boats.

Tens of thousands of residents who fled their homes ahead of the tsunami waves are sheltering in cramped evacuation centers, while at least 30,000 households in Ishikawa remain without power as temperatures drop to freezing conditions.

About 1,000 members of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces have been dispatched to the disaster zones. Monday’s quake has been followed by several strong aftershocks, which the agency says could continue over the next few days.

The quake revived memories of the March 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that swamped the nuclear plant in northeastern Fukushima prefecture, knocking out its power supply and cooling systems. The damage caused a meltdown of the plant’s three reactors, leading to the world’s worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl accident.

But a government spokesperson said there were no reported irregularities at any of the nuclear power plants near the epicenter of Monday’s quake.