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On January 1, 2024, a significant earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, along the Sea of Japan. Here are the key details: - The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded a maximum seismic intensity of 7, the highest level on their scale. This was the first time since 2018 that Japan experienced an earthquake of this intensity. - The earthquake triggered tsunamis, with 5-meter-high waves striking Noto and waves exceeding 1.2 meters hitting Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture. Other areas like Toyama Prefecture and Sado Island also experienced tsunamis. - The epicentral area witnessed the collapse of buildings, and at least 36,000 households lost power following the earthquake. - Electric power companies, including Kansai, Tokyo, and Hokuriku Electric Power Companies, inspected their nuclear power plants for abnormalities. - A vast section of Japan’s western coast, stretching from Hokkaido to Nagasaki Prefecture, was placed under a tsunami warning. Evacuation orders were issued in several prefectures, including Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama, and Yamagata. - The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center noted that dangerous tsunami waves were possible within 300 kilometers of the earthquake’s epicenter. - The earthquake’s impact was felt beyond Japan, as the Korea Meteorological Administration reported that the eastern coast of Gangwon Province in South Korea might experience a rise in sea levels, with waves of up to 0.3 meters anticipated along the nation’s east coast.
