BBC News:
Rescuers in Japan are racing against time in their search for survivors of a New Year’s earthquake, as a critical three day window has now closed.
At least 77 people were killed when a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit the remote Noto peninsula on Monday at 16:10 local time (07:10GMT).
Many people thought to be trapped under their collapsed homes – mostly in the cities of Suzu and Wajima.
After 72 hours, the chances of finding people alive drops substantially.
Tens of thousands of residents are still without power and water, while hundreds remain isolated from help due to landslides and blocked roads.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had earlier on Thursday said 150 people had been rescued so far, and that rescuers would continue with their full-scale efforts to save as many as possible.
“This is a very difficult situation. But from the viewpoint of protecting lives, I ask that you make every effort to save and rescue as many lives as possible by this evening, when the critical 72 hours of the disaster will have passed,” he said.
The tremor on Monday, which was followed by a series of aftershocks, injured at least 330 people, according to AFP news agency.
More than 30,000 people in the quake-affected areas are still in shelters, with some towns lacking water, electricity and internet connection.
Meanwhile stories of dramatic rescues have been going viral online. A video posted by Peace Winds Japan, a local NGO that helped with the rescue, show several rescuers ploughing through layers of collapsed furniture to rescue a woman trapped under her home. They then wrapped a thick blanket around her.
