The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded a Magnitude 7.6 Earthquake at a depth of about 20 km, beneath the Noto Peninsula, part of Ishikawa Prefecture on the north coast of Honshū Island, at about 4.10 pm Japan Standard Time (about 7.10 am GMT) on Monday 1 January 2024. Tens of thousands of buildings are reported to have been damaged or destroyed following the event, with fifty five people confirmed dead at the time of writing, and many more thought to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
A tsunami warning was issued following the Earthquake, as large tsunami waves triggered such events often add to the problems caused by large Earthquakes in Japan, although on this occasion the largest waves recorded were only about a metre high. Several large aftershocks have been recorded following the initial event, and local officials have warned that these are likely to continue for some time, hampering rescue attempts. A number of fires broke out in the aftermath of the initial Earthquake, adding to the problems. Temperatures in the area typically fall below zero at night at this time of year, adding to concerns about how long people trapped beneath the rubble can survive.
Japan has a complex tectonic situation, with parts of the country on four different tectonic plates. Ishikawa Prefecture lies on the convergent margin where the the Okhotsk Plate is pushed against the Eurasian Plate, with the Pacific Plate being subducted beneath the Okhotsk Plate to the east. This is not a smooth process; the rocks of the two plates constantly stick together, only to break apart again as the pressure builds up, causing Earthquakes in the process.
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