How devastating were the New Year’s Day earthquakes in Japan? | DW News

Japan has reinforced crews working to find survivors of the devastating New Year’s Day earthquakes. The confirmed death toll has risen to 84, with at least 79 more unaccounted for. Rescuers are still struggling to reach some of the worst-hit areas. Survival rates significantly drop once 72 hours have passed, emergency responders say. The 7.6 magnitude quake hit the Noto peninsula on Japan’s western coast on Monday. At least 81 people have thus far been killed and at least 79 others are still unaccounted for. More than 150 have been rescued. “There are many people left behind in the collapsed buildings, waiting to be rescued,“ Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a press conference. “We will use all of our efforts to rescue as many people as possible by this evening, when 72 hours will pass since the disaster.“ Kishida pledged roughly 4 billion yen ($28 million; €25.5 million) of the national budget on Thursday for disaster relief. What’s hampering re