A major earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 hit western Japan yesterday (1/1/24), leading to widespread destruction and prompting tsunami warnings even in eastern Russia. The epicenter was in Noto, located on Honshu Island. The quake’s impact included collapsed structures, fires, and evacuation directives for coastal residents.
The tremor was so intense that it rendered some unable to maintain their balance, and it caused buildings in Tokyo to shake for over two minutes. In Ishinomaki, situated in Miyagi Prefecture, a city official described being jolted awake by the severe shaking.
Tsunami waves up to one meter were initially anticipated along parts of the northeast coast by the Japan Meteorological Agency. However, this alert was later retracted when smaller waves, about a third of the expected height, were observed. Despite the cancellation of the tsunami alert, coastal residents were advised to seek higher ground.
The quake led to a temporary power outage affecting over 2.2 million households across 14 prefectures, including Tokyo. A bullet train near Fukushima city was knocked off its tracks, but there were no injuries as it was moving slowly at the time.
The earthquake claimed at 48 lives and injured over 160 individuals. One of the fatalities was a man in his sixties from Soma, Fukushima Prefecture. Another death was reported in Miyagi Prefecture. There were unconfirmed reports of up to four deaths, but government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno indicated that the exact number of quake-related deaths was still under verification.
This earthquake is a grim reminder of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, but officials have confirmed that the Fukushima nuclear facility remained undamaged. The government is currently evaluating the full extent of the destruction caused by this recent earthquake.
The recent seismic event in Japan has resulted in considerable destruction. The prompt actions of the authorities in issuing alerts and evacuation orders may have helped to minimize further harm. As Japan undertakes damage assessment and recovery, the international community watches and extends its support.
