Japan quake death toll climbs to at least 64

At least 64 people died on New Year's Day in the Noto Peninsula and surrounding areas of central Japan as a result of a powerful earthquake, Kyodo reports.

Debris and destroyed roads continued to hamper search and rescue efforts on Wednesday.

Two days have passed since a 7.6-magnitude earthquake caused widespread structural damage and fires in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on the coast of the Sea of Japan, but the full extent of the disaster remains unknown.

Parts of the prefecture hit by the elements, where some villages remain cut off from the outside world, are expected to experience intermittent rain Thursday, and the Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of the possibility of landslides.