Efforts are underway to prevent survivors of a devastating earthquake that hit central Japan two weeks ago from dying due to disaster-related causes.

The magnitude 7.6 quake jolted the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture and surrounding areas shortly after 4 p.m. on New Year's Day. The town of Shika observed the maximum seismic intensity on Japan's scale of zero to 7. The cities of Nanao, Wajima and Suzu as well as the town of Anamizu recorded upper 6.

Officials say that as of 2 p.m. on Sunday, 221 people had been confirmed dead, with 24 others unaccounted-for. Search-and-rescue operations are continuing.

They add that at least 490 people in 15 communities in Wajima, Suzu and the town of Noto remain cut off because of severed road access.

They say water and power supply remains unavailable for most of the 389 evacuation sites, where 19,014 people were taking shelter as of 2 p.m. on Sunday.

They also say 13 people are believed to have died after their health deteriorated due largely to their lives as evacuees.

Officials of Ishikawa Prefecture are working to relocate survivors to accommodation facilities in and outside the prefecture. They are placing priority on people in need of special care and their families, such as residents of isolated communities and senior citizens.