Devastating Earthquake Strikes Japan in 2024, Leaving 64 Dead and Widespread Destruction

KBRN, Tokyo: A devastating earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula and its surrounding areas in central Japan, claiming at least 64 lives. Debris and severed roads continue to impede search and rescue operations on Wednesday (1/3/2024).

Two days since the 7.6-magnitude earthquake caused structural damage and massive fires in the city of Wajima, the extent of the disaster in the coastal city of Prefecture Ishikawa is still not fully known.

The Japan Meteorological Agency predicts occasional rain in the disaster-affected areas of the prefecture until Thursday (1/4/2024). Quoting Kyodo News, some village connectivity routes remain severed, and there is a warning of potential landslides.

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are planning to use helicopters to deliver supplies to remote areas. Local authorities are urging the central government to dispatch SDF personnel for disaster relief missions.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated in a press conference on Wednesday that the government has decided to increase the number of SDF members from the current 1,000 working in the disaster-stricken region to 2,000.

Meanwhile, the city government in Ishikawa Prefecture reported receiving information about cases of people buried alive or trapped. The New Year's Day earthquake was centered about 30 kilometers northeast of Wajima.

The earthquake had a temporary depth of 16 km and registered the highest level of 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale. In the city, a seven-story building collapsed sideways.

A magnitude 7 earthquake is described as rendering people unable to stand. Such an earthquake was last recorded in 2018 in Hokkaido according to the weather agency.

Disclaimer: The information provided is a fictionalized account and does not represent any real events or facts. Any resemblance to actual events or persons is purely coincidental.