Japan earthquake heralds a catastrophic start to 2024

On New Year’s day at approximately 4:10 pm local time, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Ishikawa Prefecture causing devastation to a vast area of the country whilst also prompting tsunami warnings for parts of Japan’s north by north westerly coastline. 

The 7.6 earthquake, the second largest since the Tohoku earthquake in 2011, caused buildings to collapse, fires to break out, as well as ripping up the very ground leaving huge cracks around much of the area. 

What made this earthquake particularly devastating was the fact that its epicenter was focused on the tip of the prefecture in an area known as the Noto Peninsula (although the shocks were felt nearly 200 miles away in Tokyo), as well as the fact that it was regarded as being quite shallow beneath the earth’s surface. 

Following the earthquake, tsunami warnings were issued to much of the coastline where residents were told to evacuate; some small tsunami were reported along parts of Niigata and Toyama prefectures but turned out not to be as serious as some feared. The warnings were later downgraded to advisories.

Smaller earthquakes and aftershocks continue to rumble on two days after the devastating event with officials advising they could continue for about a week. 

The destruction caused has hampered recovery and aid efforts with some areas becoming inaccessible by road, however time is of the essence to help those that have become trapped in their homes and by fallen debris. The current death toll stands at over 200 with hundreds more injured.