InsideJapan News Network

The Japanese land ministry has announced it will to devise anti-flooding measures within a month, following the earthquake which hit the north-east of the country on Saturday 14th July.

Officials from the ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism also said it would develop a larger excavator that can be quickly moved to flood-hit areas in the future.

According to Japan Today, the ministry will work with Japan's Self-Defence Forces to airlift the excavator to the location of emergency situations.

Following the earthquake in Miyagi and Iwate, 15 "quake lakes" were formed. The phenomenon occurs when debris resulting from the tremors creates a damn in the rivers running through mountain regions.

The death toll from the recent earthquake has now risen to 12, reports the Associated Press. In China, however, the comparatively poor quality of buildings is one of the factors which has seen the body count from the recent earthquake there reach almost 70,000.