200 people still missing since New year's Day earthquakes in Japan

ISTANBUL

Despite five days passing since the significant earthquakes hit Japan on New Year's Day, the whereabouts of at least 200 people remain unknown.

The death toll from the earthquakes climbed to 94 on Friday, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

Japan has increased soldiers' deployments in the Noto region of Ishikawa province, the epicenter of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake.

Since Monday, there have been over 600 tremors across the country.

Many people are still trapped under collapsed buildings as search and rescue workers battle rubble and harsh weather to find survivors.

Some 33,000 people have been evacuated to around 370 shelters in Ishikawa province, which has faced the worst human loss and infrastructure damage.

Many areas are still cut off, with authorities unable to access at least 700 people, while there are no electrical supplies to about 30,000 homes, and 80,000 dwellings in the province are without water.