Japan earthquakes: 250,000 people ‘told to leave’ with further tremors predicted in coming days

At least 42 people have died and more than 1,000 injured in Thursday and Saturday’s quakes

(AP)

Almost 250,000 people in Japan have reportedly been evacuated from their homes amid fears that further tremors will follow the two devastating earthquakes that left 42 people dead and more than 1,000 injured last week.

Local rescuers have been searching for 10 people who are still reportedly missing following the quakes, while US airlifts have been delivering water, bread, ready-to-eat food and other emergency supplies to the remote area of southern Japan that was hit by the two powerful earthquakes.

Nine people died in Thursday’s earthquake, measuring at 6.4, and 33 people were killed in Saturday’s 7.1 earthquake, both of which hit the country’s south-western island of Kyushu.

Widespread damage to roads, houses and buildings have seen thousands driven from their homes, while Japan’s meteorological agency has warned that further tremors may be felt in the coming days, the BBC reports.

Rescuers have been redoubling search efforts, shovelling through mud and debris in a rush to beat the heavy rains forecast for the areas, which would make the land and collapsed buildings even more unstable.

Around 25,000 soldiers from Japan’s self-defence forces, along with police, medics and fire-fighters have been deployed to Kumamoto, one of the worst affected areas on the island, to continue with rescue efforts, Sky News reported.

Minamiaso, a town of 12,000 on the southern island of Kyushu, was partly cut off by landslides and road and bridge damage. Residents there marked their location with chairs aligned in a giant "SOS" while awaiting US relief flights, which also delivered tents and portable toilets and waste treatment kits.

Some supermarkets have reopened in less remote areas and while some have had electricity outages fixed, though many survivors are still cut off from electricity and water supplies.

A number of the 180,000 evacuees have complained about the lack of food available, claiming to have only rice balls and bread to eat, but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has defended his government's handling of the crisis.

"We are doing our best," Mr Abe said when challenged by the opposition over the government's handling of the relief effort. "We are striving to improve living conditions for the people who have sought refuge."

Additional reporting by AP