Massive 7.4 Richter Scale Earthquake Strikes Japan on New Year’s Day 2024

The New Year started on an ominous note for Japan when it was struck by a massive earthquake. A powerful Earthquake struck the coastal cities of Ishikawa, Niigata, and Toyama in Central Japan on January 1, 2024.

The quake measured 7.4 on the Richter scale which can be designated as major. Tsunami warnings have been issued and authorities have asked residents in coastal regions to evacuate as soon as possible.

The Noto region has reported more than 11 quakes by the evening.  Reuters has reported that the quake has disrupted power in thousands of homes and the train services have been shut in the cities which have been worst hit by the quake.

The cities of Ishikawa, Niigata, and Toyama have borne the brunt of the Earthquake. The authorities are assessing the situation and have also alerted the citizens to remain alert and prepare for more tremors and aftershocks of the major Earthquake. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has gone on air on NHK and warned residents in the coastal areas to evacuate as soon as possible.

There have been no problems at the nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan as per Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority which in a statement said that the five active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s Ohio and Takahama plants in Fukui Prefecture are functioning normally. However, one active power plant at Hokuriku’s Shikha plant in Ishikawa has been shut down as a precautionary measure.

Japan is no stranger to earthquakes and sits on one of the most sensitive earthquake fault zones in the Pacific region. A massive earthquake struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011. The quake led to the deaths of 20,000 people and also triggered a massive Tsunami which also triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Earthquakes are caused by the movement of Tectonic plates and if the quake happens in the sea it can lead to a phenomenon called tsunamis which can affect regions that are thousands of kilometers away. In the past Tsunamis have wreaked havoc and the most recent happened in Tamil Nadu where Tsunami triggered by an earthquake in Indonesia killed thousands of people.