Aftershocks hamper aid for Japan quake victims

EMERGENCY workers struggled to rush food and blankets to evacuation centres as strong aftershocks jolted an earthquake-shattered swath of northern Japan yesterday, killing 25 people and driving 100,000 from their homes.

A 5.6 magnitude aftershock hit just after dawn, deepening fears the area’s shaky infrastructure would sustain more damage.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned of more quakes in the region. Rain also fell, threatening to unleash mudslides.