More than 13,000 people displaced by a powerful earthquake that hit Ishikawa Prefecture 15 months ago are still living in temporary housing.



The quake that struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day of 2024 left 570 people dead in the prefectures of Ishikawa, Toyama and Niigata. That number includes deaths classified as related to the disaster.



The death toll could climb further, as officials are still vetting applications from families seeking the deaths of their loved ones to be classified as disaster-related.



According to data collected by Ishikawa Prefecture, the number of housing structures damaged by the quake stood at more than 115,000 as of March 25.



In the prefecture, 6,882 temporary housing units have been constructed for displaced residents, and 13,619 people were still living in them.



Officials say many of them are elderly people living alone and face the risk of being isolated from society.



Authorities are teaming up with social welfare professionals and volunteers to tackle isolation of the elderly, such as by visiting their houses regularly and providing a place for them to socialize with others.



Local governments plan to step up support for the displaced, but problems remain, including how to secure their places to live after sheltering in temporary housing.