Tokyo-
Tuesday series of earthquakes hit Japan in Ishikawa prefecture on Honshu’s main island, generating tsunami waves exceeding a meter in height.
Japanese rescue teams were seen racing against time and enduring powerful aftershocks in their mission to locate survivors following a significant earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day. Reports indicated a death toll of over 20 individuals, and the aftermath left a path of devastation.
The 7.5 magnitude had its impact included the collapse of buildings, a significant port fire, and severe damage to roads.
With the break of daylight, the extent of the destruction on the Noto Peninsula became apparent. Smouldering structures, flattened homes, and sunken or stranded fishing boats painted a grim picture of the aftermath.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida remarked, following a meeting on disaster response, that the extent of the damage was substantial, encompassing multiple casualties, collapsed buildings, and rampant fires. He emphasized the urgent need to swiftly search for and rescue victims affected by the disaster.
Aerial news coverage unveiled the aftermath of a significant fire in Wajima, where a seven-story building had crumbled, adding to the widespread devastation.
The local energy provider reported that nearly 45,000 households in the area were devoid of electricity, with temperatures dropping to freezing levels overnight. Additionally, numerous cities experienced water supply disruptions.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.5. Japan’s meteorological agency recorded it as 7.6 and noted it as one of over 150 tremors felt in the region until Tuesday morning.
Tsunami warning removed
Monday witnessed waves reaching a minimum of 1.2 meters (four feet) in height striking Wajima, with reports of smaller tsunamis in various other areas. Despite initial warnings of potentially larger waves, Japan lifted all tsunami alerts by Tuesday.
Social media images depicted scenes of intense shaking in Ishikawa, showing cars and houses affected, while frightened individuals sought refuge in shops and train stations. Collapsing houses and substantial road fractures were evident.
Television footage captured a team of firefighters maneuvering beneath a collapsed large commercial building in Wajima. Video footage highlighted a fire in Wajima that consumed a row of houses, prompting nighttime evacuations where some individuals carried blankets and others cradled babies.
According to NHK, 25 houses had collapsed in the city, among them 14 structures potentially trapping occupants inside.A duty officer at Wajima Fire Department said they still were being overwhelmed Tuesday by rescue requests and reports of damages.
Hiroshi Hase, the Governor of Ishikawa, communicated via X (formerly known as Twitter) that landslides or fractures had extensively severed roads in various regions. Additionally, in the port of Suzu, “multiple” vessels had overturned.
As reported by the fire and disaster management agency, a total of 62,000 individuals received evacuation orders. Meanwhile, the defense ministry disclosed that approximately 1,000 people sought refuge at a military base.Bullet trains suspended.
Monday’s tremor reverberated through apartments in Tokyo, situated approximately 300 kilometers away, prompting the cancellation of a public New Year greeting event scheduled to be attended by Emperor Naruhito and his family members.
Japan’s road operator confirmed the closure of several major highways near the epicenter, and bullet train services originating from Tokyo were also halted.
The country encounters numerous earthquakes annually, with the majority causing negligible damage. According to a Japanese government report from last year, the frequency of earthquakes in the Noto Peninsula region has steadily increased since 2018.
Japan carries the haunting memory of the catastrophic 9.0-magnitude undersea quake in 2011 off northeastern Japan. This event triggered a tsunami that claimed approximately 18,500 lives and caused extensive devastation, including the inundation of the Fukushima nuclear plant, leading to one of the world’s most severe nuclear disasters.
Japan’s nuclear authority confirmed no reported anomalies at the Shika atomic power plant in Ishikawa or at other plants following Monday’s quake.
