A large-scale rescue operation is underway on the Japanese island of Hokkaido after a 6.7 earthquake triggered several landslides that swallowed a number of houses, injuring and trapping people inside.
The rural town of Atsumi has been devastated after a chunk of a mountain ridge slid and covered several houses, aerial footage by NHK broadcaster showed. At least 10 people were airlifted to the hospital while others remain missing, potentially trapped in collapsed structures.
Besides Atsumi, a number of mudslides occurred along Route 235, according to local media. So far, two people have been confirmed dead, including a man in his 80s who died from cardiac arrest, NHK reports. Another 143 people have been injured, while 38 remain missing after a 6.7 earthquake hit Hokkaido, causing widespread damage. Most of the injuries (87 people) came from Sapporo, a major metropolitan area of 1.9 million people.
震度５弱以上を観測したと考えられるものの震度のデータが入っていない北海道厚真町のようす ヘリコプターから撮影#nhk_news #地震 #震度６強 pic.twitter.com/UkWjC0EyBt
— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) September 5, 2018
みんな気をつけて！😐#北海道地震 #地震 #北海道 #Hokkaido #earthquake
— ÇağrıBey ℂ⋆ (@CagriBey83) September 5, 2018
: .... 🇹🇷❤🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/Dv9ZgMdR1k
震度６強 安平町 建物倒壊や土砂災害の情報#nhk_news #地震 #震度６強 #安平町 pic.twitter.com/RRRfLPPups
— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) September 5, 2018
札幌市清田区里塚の妹の家から送られてきた動画。
— 大谷 香織 (@kaokko84) September 5, 2018
家も傾いたりひどい状況#地震#液状化#避難勧告#札幌地震#北海道地震#札幌#清田区 pic.twitter.com/DQa5t6LiXd
Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that a crisis management center has been set up and first responders are doing everything to save lives. To help deal with the crisis, an additional 21,000 SDF soldiers will be deployed, the prime minister said. Right now, disaster relief is being handled by 4,000 Self Defense Forces personnel.
かなりやばい#北海道地震#地震#北海道#札幌 pic.twitter.com/IfnKhqhLf0
— 空夢 (@sorasapporo51) September 5, 2018
The quake triggered widespread power outages that affected nearly three million houses. Hokkaido Electric Power Co. said its thermal power plants shut down, and that it was urgently working to resolve the issue.
The quake also paralyzed air and rail traffic on the island. New Chitose Airport will remain closed all day Thursday after experiencing blackouts, the ministry of land, infrastructure and transport, said. The Hokkaido Electric Railway and the Donan Isasiri Railway also stopped service on all lines due to the power outage.
今後の情報を我々は待っています...@新千歳空港到着ロビー#新千歳空港#北海道地震 pic.twitter.com/0W6D5FyRdE
— ひかり (@HIKARI_gons) September 5, 2018
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