Death toll from Japan earthquake climbs to 48

The death toll from powerful earthquakes in Japan has climbed to 48, as the country deployed troops for rescue and relief operations.

According to the country’s public broadcaster NHK, all 48 people have been confirmed dead in Ishikawa province, located along the seacoast on main Honshu Island.

It added that many people were injured in Ishikawa, Niigata, Fukui, Toyama, and Gifu provinces.

The country’s Ministry of Defense said it was mobilizing joint land, air and sea forces and deploying around 10,000 soldiers in the affected province for rescue, relief and support operations.

Japan was struck by many earthquakes since Monday afternoon with magnitudes as high as 7.6, triggering a tsunami warning, a large fire and four-foot-high waves.

The tsunami warning was later lifted by the authorities.

Many houses and roads collapsed while train services were suspended following the earthquakes.

Tens of hundreds of people were evacuated to safer places.

(with inputs from Anadolu Ajansı)