Japan reports dozens of fatalities after series of strong earthquakes

Japan was struck by a series of powerful earthquakes on New Year's Day that killed at least 48 people, reduced hundreds of buildings to rubble, and forced tens of thousands to flee to higher ground. Dozens of survivors were being treated at hospitals across the Ishikawa prefecture and the emergency rooms were expected to become even more crowded as rescue crews free people believed to be still trapped in the ruins of homes and buildings. The Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV summed-up the situation with a grim headline: "Homes have collapsed, there are people unconscious."