Incident Details
At roughly 4:00 PM, January 1, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake originating in Ishikawa Prefecture, struck the western coast of Japan. Subsequently, tsunami advisories were issued for the Ishikawa, Niigata, and Toyama Prefectures, with an expected height of around one meter. Aftershocks with up to a magnitude of 6.0 could pose a threat for months. While only one death has been reported, there is major infrastructural damage in many of the affected Prefectures.
Traveler Safety
SafeAbroad travelers are advised to seek shelter and follow all official directives. Travelers should use situational awareness to mitigate risk while traveling. Monitor the incident via local sources for the most timely updates
Analyst Notes
The earthquake originated roughly 26 miles from Anamizu on the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture. Approximately 36,000 households in Toyama and Ishikawa have been left without power, with temperatures below freezing during the night. Forty rail lines, two high-speed rail lines, and Ishikawa’s main airport were forced to halt operations. Although it is currently unclear how long disruptions could last, it could possibly be weeks for some of these services, given the level of damage to infrastructure. One elderly man has been reported dead due to a building collapse, although that number can be expected to rise, and at least several others are still known to be trapped in collapsed buildings, with many more likely undiscovered. While Japan is one of the most regularly impacted countries by earthquakes, this earthquake is somewhat unique in that it originated on the western coast rather than the east, meaning residents have far less experience reacting to and keeping safe during major earthquakes. While the west does have earthquakes, this is believed to be the largest earthquake in history on this coast of Japan. The Japanese government has deployed roughly 1,000 personnel from the Japanese Self-Defense Force to provide aid and engage in rescue operations in the affected prefectures.
