Japan earthquake: Rescue efforts continue as death toll climbs to 55
A series of powerful earthquakes hit western Japan on New Year's Day, leaving at least 55 people dead and hundreds of buildings destroyed. As search teams continue to try to find survivors, officials warn that more quakes could lie ahead.
Video Transcript
- Multiple earthquakes struck parts of Japan on New Year's day, reaching strengths of up to 7.6 in magnitude.
BALDWIN CHIA: Pretty massive, if you ask me. So the whole room was shaking. The TV was shaking.
- The disaster has left at least 55 people dead and destroyed hundreds of homes, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee to higher ground over tsunami warnings.
- [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
- Rescue efforts have been made impossible thanks to damaged roads and a lack of power and cell phone service in the western part of Japan. The situation was made worse after a plane carrying earthquake relief collided with a jet at an airport in Tokyo, killing five people. For now, officials are racing against time, as they work to reach victims trapped beneath collapsed buildings and deliver aid to those stranded in the cold before it's too late.
