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Saudi Arabia has expressed its solidarity with Japan and its people amid the losses caused by the massive earthquake that hit the country on Monday.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's sincere condolences and sympathy to Japan and its people, as a result of the earthquake that struck the country, which resulted in the death and injury of a number of people," an official statement said. "The Ministry also expresses Kingdom's solidarity and stand with the government and people of Japan as a result of the tragedy and its wishes for a speedy recovery ahead to all those affected," it added. At least 64 people were killed in the massive earthquake of 7.5 magnitude that struck the Noto Peninsula and surrounding areas in central Japan on Monday, Kyodo News reported. The rubble and severed roads still prevent search and rescue operations in the quake-hit regions. The earthquake has caused structural damage and fires in the city of Wajima in Ishikawa Prefecture. However, the full extent of the disaster caused by the powerful earthquake remains unknown. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of potential mudslides as intermittent rain is expected through Thursday in the disaster-stricken regions of the prefecture, where some villages continue to remain cut off, Kyodo News reported. Japan's Self-Defence Forces (JSDF) were set to deploy helicopters to provide supplies to cut-off regions, with local authorities urging the central government to send SDF personnel for a disaster relief mission. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that the government had decided to increase the number of SDF personnel working in disaster-hit areas. He made the press conference a day after the Japan Airlines Co. plane and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft carrying relief material collided at Tokyo's Haneda airport, sparking concerns that the accident could hinder the delivery of supplies to the Noto Peninsula and its surrounding areas. Kishida said, "Overall, we believe that there is no impact from the accident. Transportation of relief supplies to the areas has been progressing steadily," Kyodo News reported. (ANI)
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