A major earthquake on New Year's Day in Ishikawa Prefecture has killed 128 people and left 195 others missing.

Heavy snowfall is expected to blanket disaster-hit areas.

Weather officials are warning of possible collapse of buildings and traffic disruptions due to snow accumulations.

Rescue efforts are underway as freezing rain comes down. In the Yuigaoka district in the town of Anamizu, houses have been destroyed by landslides.

Officials say 128 deaths in the prefecture have been confirmed so far.

Evacuees are having to endure the cold.

In Wajima City, people went to a greenhouse as they couldn't find space in designated shelters.

They are trying to keep themselves warm by covering produce boxes with blankets and using a kerosene heater.

The greenhouse is not designated as a shelter, so aid supplies from municipalities are not delivered there.

Food deliveries and water trucks have arrived at an elementary school in Suzu, which is now serving as an evacuation center.

However, people managing the center say they do not have enough plastic bags for storing water.

The staff members are also concerned about hygiene.

They say there is a shortage of disinfectant, or bags to dispose of bodily waste.

One of the members said, "Each center has different needs. So I would appreciate it very much if people try to confirm what is needed before they send out supplies."

Ishikawa prefectural officials say, as of Sunday, more than 28,000 people were staying at some 400 evacuation centers across the prefecture.

At some centers, evacuees have fever and other medical symptoms.

Many people are cut off from basic utilities. About 18,000 households are dealing with power outages. 66,000 are without water.

Some sections of roads remain closed.

Transport authorities say they don't know when traffic will be up and running again on a closed section of the Noh-etsu Expressway.

The government held an emergency disaster taskforce meeting Sunday afternoon.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said, "Wide areas in northern parts of the Noto Peninsula remain isolated. I hope we will access the affected areas by any means possible, including on foot and by helicopter. We should do everything to secure the safety of those who are left there."

Kishida also said he will designate the earthquake as an "extraordinary disaster." This will allow flexible treatment of people seeking administrative procedures, such as extension of driver's licenses and business permits.