People in the Japanese central prefecture of Ishikawa are still struggling to rebuild their lives nine months after the region was hit by a massive earthquake on New Year’s Day.
The quake struck the Noto Peninsula along the Sea of Japan coast on January 1. It registered a maximum intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale of 0 to 7.
The disaster left 378 people dead, including those who died after falling ill due to post-disaster causes. Three others remain missing.
The total number of fatalities from the quake is expected to rise to 412, as a panel of experts held a meeting in Ishikawa last month and recommended that 34 more deaths be recognized as quake-related.
Relatives of at least 170 people who have died since the quake have applied for such recognition. Officials in the prefecture are facing the challenge of how to prevent quake-related deaths from further increasing.
Record rains that hit the region last month have dealt a double blow to many of the quake survivors who were already in a difficult situation. They need continued support to rebuild their livelihoods.