2024 Noto earthquake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
2024 Noto earthquake

令和6年能登半島地震 (2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake)
From top, left to right: Aftermath of the earthquake and fires at Wajima morning market • a partially collapsed section of Japan National Route 249 • JSDF troops delivering aid by hand
UTC time	2024-01-01 07:10:09
ISC event	636373819
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	1 January 2024 (2024-01-01)
Local time	16:10:09 JST (UTC+9)
Duration	c. 50 seconds
Magnitude	7.6 MJMA 7.5 Mw
Depth	10 km (6 mi) (USGS) 16 km (10 mi) (JMA)
Epicenter	37°29′17″N 137°16′16″E / 37.488°N 137.271°E / 37.488; 137.271
Type	Reverse
Areas affected	Ishikawa Prefecture, Chūbu region, Japan
Total damage	US$17.6 billion (estimated)
Max. intensity	JMA 7
Peak acceleration	2.88 g (2,826 gal)
Tsunami	6.58 m (21.6 ft)
Landslides	Yes
Foreshocks	5.7 MJMA
Aftershocks	8,582 total; 169 of M ≥ 4; Largest: 6.1 MJMA or 6.2 mb
Casualties	299 fatalities, 1,327 injuries, 3 missing

On 1 January 2024, at 16:10 JST (07:10 UTC), a M_JMA7.6 (M_w7.5) earthquake struck 6 km (3.7 mi) north-northeast of Suzu, located on the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The reverse-faulting shock achieved a maximum JMA seismic intensity of Shindo 7 and Modified Mercalli intensity of X–XI (Extreme). The shaking and accompanying tsunami caused widespread destruction on the Noto Peninsula, particularly in the towns of Suzu, Wajima, Noto and Anamizu, with the neighbouring prefectures of Toyama and Niigata also recording significant damage.

There were 299 deaths confirmed and three people remaining missing, all of them in Ishikawa. The mainshock also injured over 1,300 people and damaged 156,526 structures across nine prefectures. It is the deadliest earthquake in Japan since the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. As of 20 February,^[update] 12,929 people remained in 521 evacuation centers.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) officially named this earthquake the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake (Japanese: 令和6年能登半島地震, Hepburn: Reiwa 6-nen Noto-hantō Jishin). It led to Japan's first major tsunami warning since the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, and a tsunami of 6.58 m (22 ft) was measured along the Sea of Japan coast.

Tectonic setting

Overview

The Noto Peninsula lies on the southeastern margin of the Sea of Japan, which was formed by back-arc rifting related to subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate along the Japan Trench. This process began during the Early Miocene, ending in the Middle Miocene. By the late Pliocene the tectonic regime changed to compression, probably associated with collision between the Izu–Bonin Arc and Honshu. This led to reactivation of the rift faults in reverse sense, combined with inversion of the basins formed by these faults. Currently Japan is situated on the convergent boundaries between the Pacific, Philippine Sea, Okhotsk and Amurian Plates. Along the island arc's east and southeast coasts, subduction of the Pacific and Philippine Sea Plates occurs at the Japan Trench and Nankai Trough, respectively. The west coast of Honshu, bordering the Sea of Japan, is a north–south trending convergent boundary between the Amurian and Okhotsk Plates. It has been proposed that it is an incipient subduction zone, consisting of eastward-dipping thrust faults.

The rifting and subsequent inversion has created a series of faults along the coast that have the potential to move and cause earthquakes, in the range of M_w6.8–7.9, in many cases with tsunamis. Major earthquakes and tsunamis along this boundary occurred in 1833, 1940, 1964, 1983 and 1993. The largest and most destructive tsunami in the Sea of Japan occurred in 1741 and was attributed to the eruption of Oshima. A fault known as the F43 (in the list of 60 faults evaluated) reaches the seabed just north of the Noto peninsula trending WSW–ENE. This southeast-dipping fault, which consists of two segments with a combined length of 94.2 km (58.5 mi), has been judged to be capable of producing an earthquake of M_w7.6.

Earthquake swarm

Noto earthquake swarm

The northeastern tip of the Noto Peninsula has been subject to an earthquake swarm for the last three years, with the largest earthquake being a M_JMA 6.5 event that took place in May 2023. The 1 January 2024 mainshock was the strongest to hit the peninsula since records began in 1885.

The swarm began in December 2020 at depths greater than 15 km (9.3 mi) beneath the peninsula's northeast. By mid-March 2021, the earthquake swarm migrated to shallower depths above 15 km (9.3 mi). Most earthquakes after May 2021 occurred at 10–15 km (6.2–9.3 mi) depth. The M_w 7.5 earthquake occurring after the swarm was deemed "rare". The general understanding of earthquake swarms are that due to the high intensity in crustal fracturing, such areas experiencing them are unlikely to generate large earthquakes. The swarm may have been triggered by the intrusion of fluids at deeper depths in response to crustal deformation.

Fluid upwelling may be occurring beneath the peninsula as evidenced by a 70 mm (2.8 in) uplift of the surface above the swarm. Seismologists considered the swarm unexpected as the peninsula lacked active volcanic or geothermal features to produce high-pressure fluids that would promote such seismic activity. These fluids may have originated from the upper mantle and migrated upwards into the crust through faults. Lubricated by fluids, these faults began producing earthquakes. No direct connection between the swarm and mainshock has been established, however, the swarm may have induced stress on these faults as they moved.

Earthquake

USGS ShakeMap

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a moment magnitude of 7.5 and a focal depth of 10 km (6.2 mi) for the earthquake. The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded a magnitude of M_JMA 7.6. It was the largest earthquake to strike Ishikawa since at least 1885, and the largest to strike Mainland Japan since the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.

The focal mechanism of the mainshock corresponded to shallow reverse faulting along a northeast-trending plane dipping northwest or southeast, happening along the convergent boundary between the Okhotsk Plate and Amurian Plate. A magnitude 5.8 foreshock struck four minutes before the mainshock, while a magnitude 6.2 aftershock struck nine minutes later. More than 1,200 aftershocks were recorded across a 100 km (62 mi) zone. At least seven of them registered a magnitude of 5.0 and above.

USGS-generated Finite Fault Surface Projection

According to a finite fault model released by the USGS, the earthquake rupture extended over 160 km (99 mi) by 20 km (12 mi) from the southwestern Noto Peninsula to Sado Island along a southeast-dipping fault. Slip was mostly concentrated entirely beneath the peninsula. The zones of the largest slip occurred southwest of the hypocenter while little to no slip occurred on the segment offshore between the peninsula and island. The patch immediately southwest of the epicenter produced a displacement of 5.992 m (20 ft) beneath the peninsula's coast. Another zone of slip occurred further southwest beneath the same stretch of coastline, producing up to 6.030 m (20 ft) of slip beneath Motoichi. The fault likely ruptured towards the seafloor at the peninsula while little to no slip was observed on the seafloor between the peninsula and Sado Island. The entire rupture process took about 50 seconds with the greatest phase of seismic moment release occurring some 25 seconds after initiation.

Due to the lack of significant slip on the segment offshore between the peninsula and Sado Island, seismologist Kenji Satake said there is still potential for another magnitude 7.0 or larger earthquake and tsunami. Research led by Kimiyuki Asano at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute at Kyoto University analysed waveforms recorded by seismometers and determined the earthquake consisted of two subevents. The first subevent, measuring M_JMA 7.3, ruptured a fault beneath the peninsula, causing coastal uplift. A second subevent identical in magnitude ruptured the offshore segment 13 seconds after the completion of the first subevent.

Ground effects

About 85 km (53 mi) of coastline spanning Suzu, Wajima and Shika was raised and the shore moved seawards by up to 200 m (660 ft). Wajima's Minazuki Bay was uplifted 4 m (13 ft) while at Nagahashimachi's fishing port, a tide gauge was rendered unusable because the seafloor was exposed.

The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) said parts of the country moved up to 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) westwards with the maximum displacement observed at Wajima due to crustal deformation. At Anamizu, land shifted 1 m (3 ft 3 in) westwards. However, the agency said these movements could be slope or local ground movement instead. The agency also added that crustal uplift of 4 m (13 ft) occurred in western Wajima and 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) in northern Suzu. Near Wajima's port, the shoreline of a sandy beach was moved 250 m (820 ft) seawards due to the coastal uplift. Uplift at Kaiso Fishing Port in Wajima by 4 m (13 ft) exposed parts of the seafloor.

The coastline in the Kawaura district of Suzu moved 175 m (574 ft) seawards due to the coastal uplift, while the land area expanded by a total of 2.4 km² (0.93 sq mi). A port in the Ozawa district of Wajima was entirely drained. A seaward movement of 240 m (790 ft) was detected in the coasts of Monzenmachi and Kuroshimamachi districts in Wajima, as well as an expansion of 4.4 km² (1.7 sq mi) in the Noto Peninsula. Areas in the northern part of the peninsula were also found to have risen while the southern sections, particularly in Anamizu, had subsided.

The GSI said due to the land expansion by 4.4 km² (1.7 sq mi), Ishikawa Prefecture may have become larger than Fukui Prefecture in land area. The latter, having an area of 4,190.54 km² (1,617.98 sq mi), is 4.34 km² (1.68 sq mi) larger than Ishikawa Prefecture, according to a survey in October 2023. However, this difference was expected to be temporary due to the effects of coastal erosion. It has been theorized that the coastal uplift may have fortuitously lessened the effects of the tsunami which followed the earthquake.

Kaiso Fishing Port before and after seismic uplift

Photographed in 2010: a levee can be seen along the shore

Photographed on 11 January 2024: levee is completely exposed on the raised beach

Across the mountainous region of the peninsula, landslides were widespread. There were also extensive slope failures, particularly in the northeastern part of the peninsula. The number of landslides was estimated at 1,000. At least nine landslide dams were discovered in the Wajima area on 9 January, which had the potential to cause debris avalanches. In Wajima, a landslide dam caused water to overflow downstream into fields, potentially causing a collapse. In Jōetsu, Niigata, a landslide measuring 16,000 m³ (570,000 cu ft) buried a section of National Route 8.

A scarp trending east–west across a zone 4 km (2.5 mi) long and 0.1–0.4 km (0.062–0.249 mi) wide occurred along the Wakayama River in Suzu. The maximum vertical offset was 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) in Naka district, Wakayama town. These scarps did not display any observable horizontal displacement. It propagated through and displaced rice fields, roads and rivers among other features. The GSI said these scarps may represent a fold in response to compressive forces due to the geology of the area. However, they did not rule out the scarp being the toe of a landslide, though this is a less probable explanation.

Surveys by the Japan Coast Guard revealed a section of uplifted seafloor south of the active fault trace. The seabed north of the Noto Peninsula lies 40–90 m (130–300 ft) beneath the sea. The recent survey and survey results from the previous year suggested a 3 m (9.8 ft) uplift of the seafloor.

Intensity

The Japan Meteorological Agency said it recorded a maximum seismic intensity of 7 (Shindo 7), the highest level on its seismic intensity scale, the first time that an earthquake of that intensity had been observed in the country since 2018. It corresponded to a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of X–XI (Extreme). The USGS assigned a maximum intensity of IX (Violent). The maximum intensity was reported in Shika and Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. Intensity 6+ was recorded in Nanao, Suzu and Anamizu. Intensity 6– was recorded in Nagaoka in Niigata Prefecture and in Ishikawa's Nakanoto and Noto. The earthquake was also felt by residents in Tokyo and across the Kanto Region and as far as Aomori Prefecture in the northern tip of Honshu to Kyushu in the south of the country. A peak ground acceleration of 2,826 gal was observed in Shika, which was close to that recorded during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake which measured 2,934 gal. Due to the ground beneath Wajima and Anamizu comprising soft sediments, ground motions were amplified.

Long period ground motion

The JMA also reported that the Noto Region of Ishikawa Prefecture registered the highest possible Long Period Ground Motion (LPGM) intensity of 4.

Aftershocks

Tsunami

Japan

Map of Tsunami Warnings issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency at 1 January 2024 16:22 JST

Large parts of Japan's western coast, from Hokkaido to Nagasaki Prefectures were immediately placed under a tsunami warning after the earthquake struck, with evacuation orders issued in Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama, and Yamagata prefectures. The earthquake triggered a major tsunami warning, the first one since the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. Public broadcaster NHK said tsunami waves of 5 m (16 ft) could be expected. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said dangerous tsunami waves were possible within 300 km (190 mi) of the epicenter.

The evacuation orders covered 62,000 people, with 1,000 evacuees finding shelter at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force base in Wajima in Ishikawa Prefecture. The major tsunami warning was later downgraded to a tsunami warning at 20:30, about four hours after the earthquake. These tsunami warnings were later downgraded to advisories, which were eventually lifted at 10:01 on 2 January, about 18 hours after the earthquake.

On the peninsula's northern coast, about 370 hectares of land was inundated. The first waves were reported to have arrived at around 16:21, although a team of researchers from Tohoku University's International Research Institute of Disaster Science said the first waves reached the Noto Peninsula within a minute of the earthquake. Along the Noto Peninsula, the second wave was the largest and most destructive. In Suzu, the first waves were estimated to arrive one minute after the shock and two minutes later at Nanao. They also estimated Toyama was struck by the waves in about five minutes. The quicker-than-anticipated tsunami arrival meant people did not evacuate in time. Fumihiko Imamura, a member of the research team, said it may have been due to the close proximity of the fault to the coast or a possible submarine landslide in Toyama Bay. Tsunamis in the Sea of Japan have been observed to arrive faster than those along Japan's Pacific coast. Tsunami modelling executed by the University of Tokyo and Building Research Institute of Japan computed the tsunami to be 3.6 m (12 ft) in Suzu; 3 m (9.8 ft) in Noto; 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) in Shika and 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in Jōetsu, Niigata.

Flooding by the tsunami exceeded 4 m (13 ft) along the east and western part of the peninsula. In Suzu, the highest waves exceeded 4.7 m (15 ft) at Misaka Town, destroying homes and damaging the seawall. At Shika's Kagami area, the tsunami was recorded at 5.1 m (17 ft). A run-up of about 4.2 m (14 ft) was estimated at Shika based on the survey of warehouses and port facilities. Aerial photographs of Suzu suggested a wave height of 3 m (9.8 ft) above sea level; subsequent analysis indicated a wave of 4.5 m (15 ft) at Nanba, Misakimachi. Tsunami waves exceeding 1.2 m (4 ft) struck Wajima, however data from the tide gauge was incomplete as it was one of several tide gauges across the peninsula that stopped receiving information shortly after. A tide gauge at the Shika Nuclear Power Plant recorded a rise of 3 m (9.8 ft) in tide level at between 17:45 and 18:00. The plant's operator later said that a 4 m (13 ft) wave reached the facility, which was built at an elevation of 11 m (36 ft) above sea level and had a seawall measuring 4 m (13 ft) high, at 17:45, without causing damage.

A tsunami measuring 90 cm (35 in) struck Kanazawa, while a tsunami of 80 cm (31 in) struck Toyama Prefecture and Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture. Waves measuring 50 cm (20 in) were recorded in Nanao and Tsuruga while waves measuring 40 cm (16 in) were recorded at Kashiwazaki, Tobishima, and Sado Island. In Toyama city, a 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) wave was reported. The tsunami was recorded in Tottori Prefecture with heights of 0.6 m (2 ft 0 in) in Sakaiminato and 0.2 m (7.9 in) in Iwami; in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture, it reached 0.4 m (1 ft 4 in). A 0.4 m (1 ft 4 in) tsunami was recorded at the port area of Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture. In Hokkaido, waves of up to 60 cm (24 in) were reported in Setana, while 50 cm (20 in) waves struck Okushiri Island.

The highest tsunami wave reached 6.58 m (21.6 ft) at a public park 600 m (2,000 ft) from the Seki River mouth. The tsunami swept people away at the entrance of a building and in the park. The locally high waves may be attributed to the seafloor bathymetry concentrating the tsunami at a specific location. Video footage in Jōetsu, Niigata showed the tsunami approaching the rivermouth at 16:35, crashing into embankments and causing seawater to overflow. Evidence of tsunami sediments and marine flora suggested the tsunami reached at least 5.5 km (3.4 mi) upstream from the river mouth. It also flowed along the Hokura River for 1.6 km (0.99 mi) starting from its confluence at the Seki River. Wave heights along the coast southwest of the rivermouth were between 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) and 5.0 m (16.4 ft). Northeast of the rivermouth, they ranged from 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) to 4.0 m (13.1 ft). At Naoetsu beach, tsunami debris indicated 2 m (6 ft 7 in) waves struck while 3 km (1.9 mi) to the west in Tanhama beach, waves were estimated at 4 m (13 ft).

Damage

Damage in the port area of Suzu

In Suzu, the tsunami was said to have arrived a minute following the earthquake. Homes were washed off their foundations and some were driven further inland. At least two people were killed by the tsunami in Ukai District, however the tsunami death toll may have been at least 26. The earthquake and tsunami damaged or destroyed 90 percent of the town's buildings. The tsunami capsized many fishing vessels and carried some onto land. Building collapses and overturned cars were observed from a news helicopter flyover of the city. A resident recalled tsunami waves washing over a road, picking up cars and debris; he also estimated the waves were 3 m (9.8 ft) above tide level. Ishikawa Prefecture's governor, Hiroshi Hase, said the tsunami flooded the Iida Port area by up to 100 m (330 ft) inland. A study conducted by Professor Shunichi Koshimura of Tohoku University found that the damage in Suzu was exacerbated by the seabed terrain of Toyama Bay.

In Shika, a series of tsunami waves reached the port at 17:40. The tsunami which had a 4.2 m (14 ft) run-up damaged the city's fishing port and its facilities. Tsunami observations in the peninsula were made difficult by the coastal uplift raising parts of the coast by up to 4.1 m (13 ft) and extending the coastline further seawards.

In the Shiromaru area of Noto, Ishikawa, homes were washed away and a fire was started. About 4.6 ha (11 acres) of coastline was damaged. On Hegurajima, the tsunami flooded homes and disabled basic services. Three people were stranded on the island prior to rescue two weeks later. A run-up of 6.28 m (20.6 ft) on the island was determined, the highest recorded in Ishikawa Prefecture. In Kurikawashiri, Noto, inundation was observed 700 m (2,300 ft) inland. In Shiromaru, Noto, the tsunami exceeded 4 m (13 ft) and may have been higher than 5 m (16 ft), which resulted in heavy damage. These run-up heights were determined with elevation data before the earthquake; due to the interference of coastal uplift, these wave heights may be larger than evaluated.

In Jōetsu, Niigata, the locally-high run-up exceeding 6 m (20 ft) flooded 15 homes along the Seki River bank. Beach houses and other buildings were also swept away. Ten fishing vessels capsized in the Ogata Fishing Port area. Containers were also washed away and warehouses storing machinery were flooded. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) assessed that the tsunami inundated up to 190 ha (470 acres) of land in Suzu, Noto and Shika, and damaged breakwaters in at least seven beaches. At least 120 maritime vessels were reported to have been sunk or capsized from the tsunami, while at least 70 percent of ports in Ishikawa Prefecture sustained damage. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said that 60 out of 69 fishing ports in Ishikawa Prefecture were affected by the tsunami, 18 of which were completely unusable and nine others partially functional.

Elsewhere along the Sea of Japan

The Korea Meteorological Administration warned that the coastlines of Gangwon Province and Pohang in South Korea could experience a rise in sea levels. Waves of 0.3 m (1 ft) were anticipated along the nation's east coast from 18:29 to 19:17 local time. A 0.45 m (1 ft 6 in) tsunami was later reported to have occurred in Gangwon. A 0.85 m (3 ft) wave reportedly struck Mukho at around 20:00 local time. Tsunamis with heights of 0.66 m (2 ft 2 in) were recorded in Uljin; 0.45 m (1 ft 6 in) in Sokcho and 0.39 m (1 ft 3 in) in Gangneung. It is thought to be the first tsunami of over 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) observed in the country since 1993. According to Yonhap News Agency, citing North Korean state radio, a tsunami warning was issued with waves of 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) potentially hitting the country's east coast.

Warnings were also issued in Russia for tsunami waves estimated to reach 1 m (3 ft), particularly along the west coast of Sakhalin Island, where evacuations were said to be conducted, although Russia later said that no evacuations were taking place there. Tsunami warnings were also declared in parts of Primorsky Krai, Khabarovsk Krai, Vladivostok and Nakhodka. The Emergencies Ministry of Russia said "response teams are ready to deal with the possible consequences of a tsunami." Officials in Vladivostok later said "no tsunami was observed" while in Nakhodka, "the tsunami passed almost unnoticed." A 0.63 m (2 ft 1 in) wave was observed at Preobrazhenie in Primorsky Krai; at Kholmsk, it measured 0.18 m (7.1 in).

Casualties

Tipped-over building in Wajima

At least 299 deaths were confirmed in Ishikawa Prefecture; 130 in Wajima, 114 in Suzu, 26 in Anamizu, 18 in Noto, eight in Nanao, two in Shika and one in Hakui; 70 people died in the aftermath due to injuries or illnesses. More than 80 percent of the deaths were due to collapsed homes.

Additionally, two people were killed by the tsunami, although the total number of tsunami deaths may be 26. At least 1,209 people were injured in the prefecture, 333 of them seriously, and as of 10 July  2024 (2024 -07-10)^[update] three people remained missing. Information provided by the National Police Agency following autopsies found that 92 of the victims were crushed to death, 49 died of suffocation or respiratory failure, 32 died from hypothermia, and three died of burns. More than 70 percent of those killed were elderly.

By June 2024, there were 233 applications to local cities and towns to review deaths and register them as disaster-related. Three meetings have been held as of June 2024^[update] the first meeting in May resulted in 30 new cases being registered as related deaths. On 18 June, city officials were recommended to certify 22 new deaths. On 25 June, a joint panel discussion by the Ishikawa prefectural government and town officials recommended that 18 additional deaths be registered as disaster-related. If these additional cases are certified, it would bring the projected total death toll to 299. Five more applications read on the same day were subjected to further review.

Impact

The Japanese government estimated the total coast of damage in Ishikawa, Toyama and Niigata at ¥2.6 trillion ($17.6 billion). Most of the cost was attributed to damaged homes, roads, ports and other infrastructure. Ishikawa Prefecture accounted for between ¥0.9 and ¥1.3 trillion ($6.1 and $8.8 billion). Damage was especially severe in Wajima and Suzu. At least 780 people across 30 districts in remote villages were isolated due to damaged roads and landslides and required helicopters to be reached. Many of the collapsed houses in Wajima were traditional wooden structures that were built prior to current building regulations that were imposed in 1981, which was equivalent to around 56.4 percent of the town's buildings. Information from 2018 also revealed that more than half of buildings in Wajima did not follow these regulations. In Suzu, many buildings were built before the enactment of modern building codes in 1950, while in 2019, only 51 percent of the town's houses were deemed earthquake-resistant, compared with 87 percent for the entire country. Around 66 percent of residences in Suzu were wooden homes that were built before 1980, while 61 percent of buildings in Noto were found to have been built before 1981.

At least 112,673 structures, including 80,359 houses, 125 public buildings and 32,189 of unspecified use, were damaged across Ishikawa, including 21,897 which were partially or completely destroyed. In Wajima, 2,257 houses collapsed, 3,786 others were partially destroyed and 4,207 others were damaged, along with 11,032 buildings. Ninety percent of the fatalities there were attributed to falling debris from collapsed houses. A fire occurred in the city at around 17:00. Due to damaged roads, firefighters were unable to extinguish the flames. The fire consumed an estimated 200 buildings, including many homes, and the Asaichi morning market, a 1,000-year-old shopping district and tourist attraction that hosted about 200 stalls. An area of up to 48,000 m² (520,000 sq ft) was affected by the fire, which experts said was exacerbated by the loss of water supply and the tsunami warning, which prevented firefighters from responding immediately to the blaze. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency later said that the fire may have been caused by electrical wiring that had been damaged by the earthquake. At least 516 people were injured in the city. In Suzu, there were 249 injuries and up to 90 percent of the buildings were affected. In the city, 1,723 houses completely collapsed, 1,960 others were partially destroyed and 1,815 were damaged. Fires also caused severe damage to many buildings. Damage and casualties in the city were exacerbated by previous earthquakes, most notably a M_JMA6.5 event in May 2023 which damaged or destroyed a quarter of Suzu's houses. Many people were still residing in these damaged houses at the time of the earthquake. The mayor of Suzu said about 4,000 to 5,000 households of the city's 6,000 were no longer habitable, adding that damage was "catastrophic".

Ground failure along the coast

The Ishikawa Nanao Police Station said collapsed homes trapped people before they were rescued. A spokesperson at Wajima Municipal Hospital said people had broken bones or were injured by falling objects. At least 104 people were injured and 7,403 houses in Shika were damaged, including 552 that collapsed and 2,402 which sustained severe damage. In Anamizu, 257 people were injured, 395 houses collapsed, 1,291 were partially destroyed and 1,685 were damaged; a landslide in the town killed 16 people and destroyed three houses.

In Noto, 50 people were injured, 239 houses were completely destroyed, 888 partially collapsed and 4,507 others were damaged, along with 3,443 buildings. Five of the affected houses were destroyed by fires. The tsunami also washed debris onto streets. Operations of the Noto Airport were suspended after five cracks as long as 10 m (33 ft) appeared on the runway; the terminal of the airport also sustained damage. Access roads leading to the airport were blocked, while about 500 passengers were left stranded inside the facility, which was expected to be closed until 4 January. Access to the northern part of the Noto Peninsula was limited by a damaged road. In Nanao, three people were injured, 391 houses were destroyed, 3,038 others partially collapsed and 12,043 others were damaged. Noto Island was isolated after the bridge linking it to the town was closed. Five people were injured, 122 houses collapsed, 549 were badly damaged and 1,531 were partially damaged in Uchinada. In Kahoku, nine houses were razed, 245 were severely damaged and 2,738 were partially damaged. In Kanazawa, nine people were injured and 7,510 buildings were damaged, including 30 which collapsed and 241 which sustained severe damage. Two people were injured, 50 houses collapsed, 817 were partially destroyed and 3,451 more were partially damaged in Nakanoto. In Nomi, one person was injured, 12 houses were badly affected and 1,515 others were damaged. Seven people were injured, 65 houses collapsed, 524 were partially destroyed and 3,046 were damaged in Hakui. In Hōdatsushimizu, 1,628 houses were damaged, including 85 that partially or completely collapsed. Two people were injured and 610 buildings were damaged in Hakusan, while 64 others were badly affected and 2,162 others were damaged in Kaga, while in Komatsu, one person was injured and 3,149 houses were damaged, 72 of which partially or completely collapsed. In Tsubata, one person was injured, nine houses collapsed, 81 were partially destroyed and 2,641 were damaged.

In Niigata Prefecture, 50 people were injured, 3,880 buildings collapsed or were badly affected and 17,356 others were partially damaged, including 15,081 in Niigata City; 44 areas of Nishi Ward had liquefaction reported. On Sado Island, 26 buildings were razed, 715 were partially destroyed and 3,906 were damaged, while six people were injured, two houses collapsed, 44 were partially destroyed and 1,244 others were damaged in Jōetsu. In Toyama Prefecture, 53 people were injured, 11 of them seriously. Eight of the injuries occurred after the ceiling of a pachinko parlor collapsed in Toyama City. Two residents of the prefecture were also killed in Ishikawa. At least 1,027 buildings collapsed or were severely damaged and 19,691 others were partially damaged, mostly in the cities of Himi, Takaoka and Imizu. In Fukui Prefecture, six people sustained minor injuries, 12 houses partially collapsed and 752 others were damaged, including 45 in Awara. Five injuries were also reported in Osaka, two in Hyōgo, and one each in Gifu and Aichi. In Nagano Prefecture, 20 houses were partially damaged.

Cracked roads and broken water mains were reported in the cities of Himi and Oyabe, Toyama Prefecture. Residents of Himi experienced water outages lasting nearly two weeks, with orders to conserve water lasting until February. In Toyama prefecture, underground snow-removal equipment for city roads was damaged in multiple areas, resulting in the deployment of snowplows and other equipment following heavy snowfall on 23 January. Liquefaction occurred in Uozu and in Niigata city; sewer pipes also ruptured and many homes were left without water. Thirty homes in Nishi-ku were damaged. The Onohiyoshi Shrine in Kanazawa also sustained damage. A landslide struck the main expressway between Toyama and Kanazawa, ripping apart several hundred meters of roadway. Four houses along a hill fell over as the land under them collapsed in the eastern part of Kanazawa. Sections of Japan National Route 8 was buried by landslides in Jōetsu, while track foundations caved in at the JR Echigo Line. A bridge along the Kurobe Gorge Railway, a popular tourist line, was damaged due to falling rocks. Cracks also appeared at the Nōetsu Expressway.

Around 260 convenience stores in the affected areas belonging to 7-11 and Family Mart were closed, while deliveries were delayed due to road closures. Japan Post also suspended services to the Noto Peninsula until 12 January due to road closures. NTT Docomo, Rakuten Mobile, Softbank and KDDI reported telecommunications and internet service disruptions in Ishikawa and Niigata prefectures, while NTT West said its facilities were damaged by the earthquake. At Shika Nuclear Power Plant, an explosion occurred near the power transformer of the No. 2 reactor, while the transformer at the No. 1 reactor was rendered inoperable due to an oil spill. The site's 4 m (13 ft) high seawall was found to have tilted by around several centimeters following the earthquake. At the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata prefecture, water spilled from the fuel pools of two reactors due to the force of the earthquake. Traditional industries were also affected, with the Ishikawa Sake Brewers Association saying the earthquake left all 11 manufacturers in the Oku-Noto region, which includes Wajima and Suzu, unable to operate, with five of them suffering complete destruction of their facilities.

At least 36,000 households and 19 medical facilities lost power following the earthquake and more than 110,000 households were left without water. By the morning of 3 January, the number of households without power had dropped to approximately 33,900. A month after the earthquake, water shortages continued to affect about 37,000 households, with full restoration of services not expected until April. In Shika, water was being rationed daily at six litres per person following the earthquake.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology reported that 276 educational facilities had been damaged by the earthquake, particularly in Niigata, Ishikawa, Toyama, Fukui and Shiga prefectures. It also said 39 schools in four prefectures had been converted to evacuation shelters. The ministry also reported damage to 20 cultural sites in Toyama and Niigata prefectures. Several stone lanterns collapsed at the Zuiryū-ji temple in Takaoka, which is a designated National Treasure, while a slope collapsed at the Sado mine. About 350 people across evacuation centers were infected by COVID-19 or the common flu, while at least 40 cases of gastrointestinal illnesses such as norovirus were detected. In Suzu, a 90-year-old woman was rescued from a collapsed house after 124 hours.

The KAGRA Gravitational-wave observatory in the northernmost part of Gifu Prefecture, which was in the process of upgrading its systems for the fourth observing run, suffered damage to the instruments and was forced to delay its planned Spring 2024 return to operations in order to assess and repair the damage.

A review conducted after the earthquake found that Ishikawa Prefecture's disaster preparedness plan had been insufficient to handle the event. It found that the plan had not been significantly updated since 1997 and made only provisions for a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that would be localized in scope and classified as a low-level disaster with only three deaths, 120 destroyed buildings and 2,781 evacuees.

The governor of Ishikawa Prefecture, Hiroshi Hase, said that the earthquake had produced at least 2.4 million tons of waste, equivalent to seven-years' worth of waste produced in the prefecture, with 60 percent of it originating in Suzu, Wajima, Noto and Anamizu, which was also equivalent to 60 years' worth of waste produced in these towns.

On 3 June 2024, a magnitude M_JMA6.0 (M_w5.8) aftershock struck the Noto Peninsula, destroying five houses in Wajima and injuring three people, including a woman who broke her leg after being startled by an earthquake alert in Tsubata and another person in Namerikawa, Toyama who sustained injuries to his head and hips while evacuating.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the earthquake included a major humanitarian impact in the worst affected regions, as well as a national economic impact. Preliminary findings by Japanese financial services company Nomura Securities suggested the temporary stagnation of economic activity would push down nominal GDP by 23 to 50 billion yen. Nomura estimated that the most affected cities, such as Suzu, Wajima and Nanao, will experience a temporary pause in economic activity. NHK added that losses are likely to increase, as the damage to roads, housing and factories has not been considered in the research. However, it is estimated that the wider impact on supply chains may be less than those compared to the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Tourism in the affected areas suffered negatively, with 10,000 people cancelling their bookings in Toyama Prefecture alone, leading to losses of about 140 million yen ($970,000).

As of 5 January,^[update] approximately 24,000 buildings remained without electricity in Ishikawa prefecture, and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ken Saitō, told reporters of the difficulty of estimating a clear timeframe for the recovery of power. Two whale sharks at the Notojima Aquarium died nine days after the earthquake. Park officials said damaged equipment may have deteriorated living conditions inside the tank and contributed to their deaths. In total, around 5,000 creatures died in the aquarium following damage from the earthquake to its water circulation equipment and pipes.

At least 32 criminal incidents relating to the earthquake were reported following the disaster, including burglaries of damaged or evacuated homes and thefts at evacuation centers. The police pledged to install about 1,000 security cameras in the affected areas in response to these incidents.

The perceived slow response drew widespread criticism from the public. Anger was directed at Kishida for his delayed deployment of the JSDF. He was also criticized for only visiting an evacuation center briefly two weeks after the earthquake. In Wajima, there were over 4,000 registrations for temporary housing units with baths and water heating, of which, only 550 were constructed by mid-February. Only 40 of the 456 temporary housing units in Suzu were completed. Local officials said about 14,000 temporary housing units would be ready by the end of March. Despite reassurance by the government, local residents' confidence remains low due to living conditions in evacuation centers and the delayed response. By the end of February, more than 11,000 people remained in temporary shelters.

The earthquake also led to a weakening of the Japanese yen, in contrast to its temporary appreciation against the dollar following previous earthquakes.

Some of the vendors affected by the destruction of the Asaichi morning market in Wajima temporarily relocated to Kanazawa in March. The market itself reopened on 6 April.

The effects of the earthquake have led to an exodus of young people from the affected region, hampering reconstruction efforts. More than 100 businesses in Ishikawa Prefecture have closed since the earthquake, with many business owners citing population outflows and slow progress in reconstruction efforts for their decisions to close.

Reactions

Domestic

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's annual New Year appearance and greetings to the public on 2 January was cancelled due to the earthquake. The Imperial Household Agency said it was the first time that the event was cancelled due to a natural disaster. It also reported that the Imperial couple "wish that rescue operations and fire-fighting efforts in affected areas will progress as quickly as possible amid the severe cold weather." At a function in Tokyo marking his first public appearance for the year on 15 January, the emperor offered his first public condolences for those affected and praised relief workers for their efforts. He also sent a message of sympathy to Ishikawa governor Hiroshi Hase. Ahead of his 64th birthday on 23 February, the emperor reiterated his condolences for the victims and expressed an intent for the Imperial couple to visit the Noto Peninsula once circumstances allow. The Imperial couple finally visited the area on 22 March and on 12 April. Prime Minister Kishida also postponed a ceremonial New Year visit to the Ise Shrine due to the earthquake.

A moment of silence was held for the victims of the earthquake on the first day of trading of 2024 at the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Toyota delayed the beginning of its domestic vehicle manufacturing operations for 2024, which had been due to begin on 8 January, until further notice, citing earthquake damage to some of its suppliers.

International

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a telegram to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, his condolences and wished the Japanese people a fast recovery. It marked the first time Kim has sent his condolences after a natural disaster, and the first time he has sent a telegram to Kishida. It was also the first time that North Korea had sent official condolences to Japan since 1995. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sent condolences and said Australia was ready to send any assistance to Japan. Philippine president Bongbong Marcos offered to send assistance to Japan, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines also offered to collaborate with the Japan Self-Defense Forces in its response to the earthquake. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and Pope Francis also expressed their prayers to the victims of the earthquake. The United States announced preparations for military logistics, food and aid. United States Forces Japan remained "ready to support our Japanese Allies during this difficult time."

In China, a news anchor from Hainan Radio and Television was suspended after stating on his Weibo account that the earthquake was retribution over the Japanese government's decision to discharge radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean which started in September 2023.

Misinformation

Misinformation about the earthquake spread on social media platforms such as Twitter. Users falsely linked a November 2023 video of an underwater earthquake in Indonesia, photos of the 2011 Tōhoku and 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and a 2021 landslide following the earthquake. At least one account, claiming to belong to a victim of the earthquake, was found to be using misinformation to seek donations online. False claims were also made of the earthquake being man-made, with a video citing a previous nuclear weapons test by North Korea. Analysis conducted by NHK found that many sources of misinformation regarding false requests for rescue appeared to have originated from overseas-based accounts, especially in Pakistan.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama incorrectly claimed the earthquake caused a fire at the Shika Nuclear Power Plant and suggested that impacts of the earthquake had been deliberately downplayed to restart the plant. While there had been a minimal oil spill at two of the reactors, there was no impact on the plant.

Gallery

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  Japan Self-Defense Forces in Wajima

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  Rescue troops in Kanazawa

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  Road clearance

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  Distorted railway line between Nanao and Wakuraonsen Stations

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  Landslide between Notokashima and Anamizu Stations

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  Coastal landslide

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  Coastal uplift and tsunami damage in Suzu

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  Damage to Anamizu Station

See also

• List of earthquakes in 2024
• List of earthquakes in Japan
• List of tsunamis
• 2007 Noto earthquake