As Japan brought in the new year a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto peninsula, on January 1, 2024 around 4 pm. Due to the intensity of the quake, it sparked many fires, caused buildings to collapse and led to tsunami alerts for Japan and eastern Russia. 

The tsunami warnings were later canceled after the waves had reduced, but the warning did create 27,700 people to flee the coastal areas and relocate to a number of evacuation centers. The coastline was shifted back 820 feet after the quake as well.

From this natural disaster, 160 people lost their lives and up to 100 people were missing one week later. Efforts are being made to locate these people, as well as to help the stranded individuals. Prime Minister Kishida told reporters after the quake it destroyed a road cutting access to Noto peninsula.

 “We have been making an effort to transfer goods, supplies and personnel there since last night,” Kishida told CNN outlets.

Five of the victims were killed in the Tokyo Haneda airport on Tuesday January 2nd when a jet collided with a coast guard plane while on its way to aid the area that needed resources. 2,000 of Noto’s residents are still cut off due to destruction of the roads and are finding supplies in the emergency shelters. 

As an aftereffect of the earthquake, 1,200 tremors have been recorded since New Year’s Day. Japan is one of the most active countries in the world for earthquakes and it has only been increasing in the Noto area since 2020.