Heavy snowfall hits post-quake operations in Japan as death toll climbs to 168

Heavy snowfall in earthquake-hit areas of Japan hampered the ongoing rescue operation on Monday, as the death toll from the earthquakes rose to 168, local media reported on Monday.

Japan Meteorological Agency recorded as high as 13 centimeters (5.1 inches) of snow mostly in earthquake-hit areas in Ishikawa province.

Authorities said 168 people were confirmed dead while 323 others remained missing, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

Thousands of people were still staying in shelters while there has been no contact with at least 2,300 people due to devastated communication lines including roads, according to the Kyodo News Agency.

There is also fear of the spread of COVID-19 in evacuation centers and the authorities are mulling to shift the quake survivors to hotels and inns outside the province but the bad weather was affecting the operations.

On New Year's Day, a strong magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa province, destroying buildings and causing huge damage to roads in the region, followed by hundreds of smaller-magnitude quakes.