(NLDO) – At least 30 people were killed in a powerful earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula and surrounding areas in central Japan on New Year’s Day, according to Kyodo News.

Kyodo News said the death toll is likely to rise. Rescuers are racing against time to find survivors.

The 7.6-magnitude earthquake also caused major damage to infrastructure and sparked a fire in Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Fires are still raging in some areas as aftershocks and debris on roads hamper rescue efforts.

About 62,000 people have been ordered to evacuate. Photo: AP

A tsunami warning for a large area along the Sea of ​​Japan was lifted on the morning of January 2, after the highest wave (about 1.2 meters) hit the port of Wajima the night before.

Ishikawa prefecture officials said the fire had engulfed more than 200 structures but the risk of the fire spreading further was minimal.

“It is difficult for vehicles to enter the northern part of the Noto Peninsula,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a news conference, adding that the central government was coordinating efforts to transport relief supplies by ship.

Kishida added that about 1,000 soldiers from the Japan Self-Defense Forces were participating in rescue and relief operations.

Smoke rises from a burned area after an earthquake in Wajima City, Japan. Photo: Reuters

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake was centered about 30 km east-northeast of Wajima City with an estimated depth of 16 km, reaching the maximum level of 7 on the country’s seismic intensity scale.

The JMA added that a total of 87 earthquakes were recorded on January 1 and 42 more as of 6:00 a.m. (local time) on January 2.