Friday marks two months since a deadly earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula and surrounding areas in central Japan. More than 11,000 people are still living in temporary shelters due to their severely damaged homes and a lack of infrastructure.

The magnitude 7.6 quake hit on New Year's Day. The cities of Wajima and Shika in Ishikawa Prefecture recorded tremors of the maximum intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale. The quake also generated tsunami, destroyed buildings and caused fires.

Ishikawa officials say 241 people have been confirmed dead in the prefecture due to the disaster, while seven others remain missing.

The number of people sheltering in evacuation centers stood at 11,449 as of Thursday. Of them, 4,733 were taking refuge at hotels and other accommodation facilities away from their home communities.

Many evacuees cannot return home because tap water remains cut off or their houses have not been repaired. Others are waiting to be allocated temporary accommodation.

Ishikawa officials say they will expedite work to restore water, roads and other damaged infrastructure. They say they will also accelerate the construction of temporary housing.

The officials also say they want to allow volunteers and civil employees from outside quake-stricken areas who have been supporting recovery efforts in the prefecture to stay for much longer.

Many of them can currently only work for a limited period due to a lack of lodgings where they can stay.