TOKYO, Jan 5 Reuters Japanese manufacturers rushed to resume production four days after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake killed at least 94 and disrupted infrastructures in the country39;s west coast, as businesses were returning from gloomy New Year holidays.

About 80 of 200 companies with plants in the quakehit areas, including makers of machines, semiconductors and textiles, have resumed production or would resume soon following the quake, Industry Minister Ken Saito said on Friday.

But the government cannot picture a clear timeline for the recovery of the region39;s power supply, Saito added. Roughly 24,000 buildings in Ishikawa, the hardesthit prefecture where the quake39;s epicentre is located, are still out of electricity, according to Hokuriku Electric Power.

Electronic parts supplier Murata Manufacturing on Friday said it was examining the damage at five plants in Ishikawa and neighbouring Toyama, while eight other plants in the region have resumed production or would do so by Tuesday.

Carmaker Toyota Motor was looking into how its production might be affected after its suppliers Aisin and Sumitomo Electric Industries suffered some damage from the earthquake, president Koji Sato said.

Display makers Japan Display and EIZO, as well as chipmakers Kokusai Electric, Sanken Electric and Toshiba Electronic Devices Storage, have said they were checking and repairing damaged factory facilities.

The economic loss from the earthquake could amount to less than 0.01 of…