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Int. 7 1 January 2024 at 16:10 JST

Noto Peninsula Earthquake (M7.6) — Jan 1, 2024

Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa

Magnitude

M7.6

Recovery

3+ mo

Peak news

487art.

Situation Summary

Struck on New Year's Day afternoon. Seismic Intensity 7 in Shika Town, Ishikawa Prefecture. Major tsunami warning for the entire Noto Peninsula. Simultaneous fires and building collapses in Wajima and Suzu. Road failures left multiple communities briefly isolated.

245 dead, 3 missing, 1,321 injured (as of December 2024)

Key Timeline
  1. 16:10

    M7.6 earthquake struck; Shika Town Intensity 7

  2. 16:11

    JMA issued major tsunami warning for the Noto Peninsula

  3. 16:15

    Simultaneous fires broke out in Wajima's historic wooden district (7 concurrent fires)

  4. 16:30~

    Tsunami waves reached Noto coast (Wajima Harbour: 1.2 m+)

  5. 17:30

    Noto Airport runway confirmed cracked and uplifted

  6. 1/2

    Emergency road repairs began on arterial routes (24-hour operation)

  7. 1/15

    Primary supply routes to the Noto Peninsula tip secured

  8. 3월

    Noto Railway partial bus-replacement service launched

Traveler Impact

Airport

Noto Airport closed (runway severely damaged; months-long closure). Komatsu Airport operated normally. Airlines increased flights serving Ishikawa, Toyama, and Fukui.

Shinkansen / Rail

Hokuriku Shinkansen (Tokyo–Kanazawa) briefly halted, then resumed the same day. Noto Railway fully suspended.

Accommodation

Large-scale cancellations across Ishikawa (Kanazawa, Wakura Onsen). Many Wajima onsen facilities completely destroyed. Downtown Kanazawa hotels resumed within days.

Other

New Year holiday travel disrupted with many stranded travellers. 250+ road collapses on the Noto Peninsula. JSDF helicopters airlifted isolated residents.

Sources
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