SUZU, Japan: Japanese rescuers on Wednesday (Jan 3) pulled an elderly man from a collapsed building in the earthquake-struck city of Suzu, Ishikawa prefecture, footage released by police showed.

According to media reports, the man, who is in his 80s, was trapped in the house for around 44 hours. They did not give details on the current status of the man or the injuries he sustained.

Rescuers are racing against the clock in search for survivors of the Monday (Jan 1) earthquake that killed at least 73, while evacuees continued to wait for further aid amid freezing temperatures and heavy rain.

The full extent of damage and casualties remains unclear three days after the quake, which is already the deadliest in Japan since at least 2016. Nearly 600 tremors continue to hit the peninsula, raising fears of landslides and further damage to the infrastructure. — Reuters

Members of a rescue team search houses for survivors in the city of Suzu, Ishikawa prefecture, after a major 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture on New Year's Day. - AFP PIC
Members of a rescue team search houses for survivors in the city of Suzu, Ishikawa prefecture, after a major 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture on New Year's Day. - AFP PIC