WAJIMA, Japan, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The 6.9-magnitude earthquake which jolted the Sea of Japan coast area of central Japan's Hokuriku region on Sunday morning has brought big troubles to local residents of Wajima, the most severely hit city in the quake.

    One was killed, 8 people were severely injured and 49 were lightly injured in the city up to 11:30 p.m., Koichi Yikeue, an officer from the city's firefighter department told Xinhua on Sunday night.

    City infrastructure has been damaged severely. According to statistics released by the municipal government later in the day, 37 buildings were nearly destroyed and about 90 residence could no longer be resided.

    The quake caused water and power supply problems in more than 5,500 households and the number of civilians who applied for asylum has reached 2,000, city officials said.

    Tilted houses and road surface with cracks could be seen everywhere in Wajima. Transportation into and out of the small coastal city, which is located at the northern tip of the Noto peninsula, has been in paralysis since the morning earthquake.

    The nearby Noto airport was closed as cracks were found on runways and West Japan Railway Co. suspended its train services. The Noto expressway, which stretched from the mainland into the Noto peninsula, was also closed.

    A hotel hostess in the central part of Wajima described the earthquake as a "nightmare." "The house shook, lights dimmed, and decorations were thrown onto the ground," the 63-year-old woman said, adding that this was the greatest jolt she has experienced in her life at Wajima.