Japan earthquake: Fires hit quake zone as rescuers race to reach survivors

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Watch: The BBC's Jean Mackenzie visits earthquake region in Japan

Rescue efforts continue in Japan after at least 64 people were killed in a powerful earthquake that hit the country on New Year's Day.

Homes collapsed, buildings caught fire and roads were extensively damaged, hindering the work of rescue services.

The epicentre of the 7.6 quake was the Noto peninsula, in central Japan.

The Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, said that emergency services were locked in a "race against time" to rescue survivors.

"More than 40 hours have passed since the disaster. We have received a lot of information about people in need of rescue and there are people waiting for help," Mr Kishida said Wednesday after an emergency task force meeting.

He also said some 3,000 rescuers were trying to reach parts of the Noto peninsula. Helicopter surveys showed many fires and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure. The city of Wajima, on the northern tip of Noto, has been cut off from land routes.

In the coastal city of Suzu in Ishikawa prefecture, some 90% of homes in the city had been "completely or nearly completely destroyed", mayor Masushiro Izumiya told news outlet Kyodo.

The Japanese military has been handing out supplies including food, water and blankets for those who have had to vacate their homes. The country's government has said that 57,360 people had to be evacuated.

Tens of thousands of meals are being delivered across the affected region.

Aftershocks continued into Wednesday. The chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, warned people to "be alert" for more earthquakes "of an intensity of up to 7" in the coming week.

Ishikawa, 155km (96.3 miles) south of the Noto peninsula, experienced a 5.5 quake on Wednesday morning.

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