Strong M7.6 earthquake in Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, collapses buildings and cracks roads
At around 4:10 p.m. on Monday the 1st, Japan time, there was an earthquake with the epicenter in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, and a seismic intensity of 7 was observed in Shiga Town, Ishikawa Prefecture.
As reported by various news outlets, including Yomiuri Shimbun, the Japan Meteorological Agency has disclosed that the recent earthquake had a shallow epicenter, with an estimated magnitude (M) of 7.6. Notably, areas in Ishikawa Prefecture, specifically Nanao City, Wajima City, Suzu City, and Anamizu Town, experienced tremors with an intensity of 6+. Before and after this seismic event, additional earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 5 or higher occurred in rapid succession in Ishikawa Prefecture around 4:06 p.m., 18:00, and 56:00 local time on the same day.
In response to these seismic activities, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a significant tsunami warning for Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, and a tsunami warning for Yamagata, Niigata, Toyama, Fukui, Ishikawa, and Hyogo prefectures. Following the earthquake, tsunami waves exceeding 1.2 meters were confirmed in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, 0.8 meters in Toyama City, and 0.4 meters in Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture.
Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures reported damages, including fires, collapsed houses and utility poles, power outages, water shortages, severed roads, and liquefaction. Notably, JR East initially suspended the Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines, but the Tohoku Shinkansen was later deemed safe and resumed operations around 4:40 p.m.
Additionally, the Nuclear Regulation Authority reported no abnormalities at nuclear power plants, including Hokuriku Electric Power's Shiga Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 (out of operation) in Shiga Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, TEPCO's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant (Niigata Prefecture), Kansai Electric Power's Oi, Takahama, Mihama, and Japan Atomic Power Co., Ltd.'s Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant (all in Fukui Prefecture).
Prime Minister Kishida urged residents in areas under tsunami warnings and advisories to evacuate promptly. This earthquake marks the first occurrence of a magnitude 7 earthquake in Japan since the Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake in September 2018.
