ANAMIZU, ISHIKAWA, JAPAN – Devastation struck Japan’s western coast on Tuesday as rescuers worked to save residents trapped in the aftermath of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake. The quake shook the Noto Peninsula in the central prefecture of Ishikawa on Monday afternoon, causing buildings to collapse, sparking fires, and triggering tsunami alerts as far away as eastern Russia. At least 57 people were reported dead, with additional fatalities at Tokyo Haneda airport after a Japan Airlines jet collided with a coast guard plane. Japan’s Meteorological Agency lifted all tsunami advisories along portions of the country’s western coast, but limited access to the northern part of the secluded Noto Peninsula remained.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that a destroyed road had cut off access to the area. Damaged roads, landslides, and large fires were reported, particularly in the central city of Wajima, where 15 people were confirmed dead. The coastal city’s morning market and traditional lacquerware were engulfed in smoldering fires and large plumes of smoke. Health officials in the city of Suzu reported that some doctors could not treat wounded patients due to damaged roads preventing travel to work.
Additionally, about 200 buildings were believed to have burned down on Asaichi Street, with 25 collapsed buildings and 14 structures potentially trapping people inside. Noto Airport was damaged, leaving around 500 people stranded with limited access due to damaged nearby roads, forcing the closure of the airport until at least Thursday. The earthquake prompted thousands of people to flee coastal areas. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 27,700 people in Ishikawa had taken shelter in 336 evacuation centers. The extent of the damage from Monday’s quake is still being determined, but the aftermath is not comparable to the 2011 9.0 magnitude quake that caused a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima power plant.
Tsunami warnings were lifted as the threat of further waves diminished, and the United States Geological Survey reported at least 35 smaller aftershocks near the quake’s epicenter. Seismologists warned that aftershocks could persist for months, posing continued hazards. The extensive damage caused by the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks highlighted the urgent need for ongoing rescue efforts and long-term recovery.
