Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida said rescuers were in a “battle against time” as the death toll from the series of strong earthquakes rose to 55.

A magnitude of 7.6 jolted Japan on Monday afternoon damaging buildings and roads, which also prompted the country to issue tsunami warnings along the coast. The tsunami warnings were later lifted on early Tuesday morning.

Forty-eight people were confirmed dead in Ishikawa prefecture on the main central island of Honshu, officials said. Sixte