Dozens take refuge from Japan quake aftershocks

TOKYO - Dozens of villagers are staying in shelters as aftershocks rattle a region in central Japan jolted by a weekend earthquake that injured at least 41 people and destroyed more than 50 homes.

The damage in a mountainous area that hosted the 1998 winter Olympics was worse than initially thought, though many were rejoicing Monday at the lack of any deaths.

At least 20 people, including one 2-year-old, were pulled from homes toppled by the magnitude-6.7 earthquake late Saturday night.

Seven of the injured had broken bones, many after being crushed by heavy furniture as they slept on their tatami floors.

Local experts said the structure of the mostly wooden houses, which are built to withstand loads of many feet of heavy, wet snow in the winter, helped prevent more casualties.