TOKYO -- The death toll has risen to 73 in the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa as of 6:00 pm local time on Wednesday, after a series of powerful earthquakes hit the prefecture and the vicinity, the national broadcaster NHK reported.

Meanwhile, local governments in Wajima City, Suzu City and Noto Town of the prefecture are working to evaluate the damage situation as many houses confirmed collapsed there, NHK said.

According to the prefectural government, at least 60 people are now in a state of isolation due to cut-off roads in at least three municipalities, including the severely stricken city of Nanao.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a press conference on Wednesday that the government had decided to double the number of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) members in the disaster-hit region from 1,000 at present.

A series of strong earthquakes, with a major one of 7.6 magnitude, on Monday struck at a shallow depth in the Noto region of Ishikawa prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has officially named it the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.

The JMA has lifted all tsunami advisories along the Sea of Japan following the quake, but weather officials warned that strong aftershocks may occur in the week, especially over the next two to three days.