At least six dead after huge earthquake rocks Japan on New Year’s Day

A powerful earthquake that hit central Japan on New Year’s Day killed at least six people, as police and local authorities early on Tuesday reported bodies
being pulled from the rubble of collapsed buildings.
The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck in the middle of the afternoon on Monday, destroying buildings, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and prompting residents in some coastal areas to flee to higher ground.
It also triggered waves about 1 metre (3.3 ft) high along Japan’s long western seaboard as well as in neighbouring South Korea.
Army personnel were dispatched to help with rescue operations, while one local airport in the worst-hit Ishikawa prefecture shut after the quake tore open cracks in the runway.
The extent of the damage as well as the toll remained unclear a day after the disaster, with major roads to the worst-affected areas badly damaged, hindering rescue efforts.