The death toll from the powerful earthquake in Japan that shook the country on the first day of the new year, and after which a tsunami warning was issued, has so far been announced as more than 20 people.

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): According to Japan's NHK state news agency, this earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale occurred around 4:00 PM local time on Monday in Noto Island in Ishikawa Province.

According to this report, in this earthquake and its aftershocks, many buildings collapsed, electricity was cut off in thousands of houses, and thousands of people in the coastal areas were forced to leave their homes.

According to Reuters, following this earthquake, a tsunami warning has been issued to more than 97,000 people in the coastal areas and their evacuation to higher areas has been issued.

Thousands of military personnel, firefighters and police officers from all over Japan have been dispatched to the affected area, but aid operations have been hampered by damaged roads.

Many rail, ferry and flight services have been suspended on Noto Island and one of the area's airports has been closed due to cracks in the runway.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday: "Aiders are finding it very difficult to reach the northern tip of the Noto Peninsula due to damaged roads, and helicopter surveys show large fires and extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure."

According to Japanese authorities, more than 140 earthquakes have been recorded since the first one on Monday.