On Tuesday evening (November 26), a strong earthquake struck the Noto region in central and northern Japan. There is no tsunami danger reported, but the Noto region experienced strong shaking with no reports of any damages. The area is still recovering from a deadly earthquake earlier this year.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurred near the western coast of the Noto Peninsula with a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). The agency stated that there is no tsunami threat. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the earthquake at 6.1 magnitude, while the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported a 6.2 magnitude earthquake near the western coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island.
There have been no reports of casualties or damages so far. The cities of Wajima and Shika in Ishikawa Prefecture felt strong tremors, while Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture and Ohira City in Osaka Prefecture also reported shaking. Tokyo’s Koto Ward experienced minor tremors.
The Japanese Cabinet Office posted on social media platform X, stating, “This earthquake may cause slight changes in the coastal sea level in Japan but is not expected to result in any losses.”
State broadcaster NHK quoted the nuclear regulatory agency as saying that there were no abnormalities detected at local nuclear power plants.
The town of Shika, where the seismic intensity was the strongest, stated on X that they are investigating the extent of the damage, with the Shika Nuclear Power Station reported to be operating normally.
A NHK journalist stationed in the central Ishikawa region of Japan described feeling a vertical “thrust” during the earthquake and noted that nearby traffic lights were not affected.
Due to the prolonged shaking from the earthquake, local residents mentioned that the shaking felt severe compared to the magnitude of the earthquake.
Professor Taku Nishimura from Kyoto University’s Disaster Prevention Research Institute told Asahi TV that due to changes in the fault system after the earthquake on January 1, this larger-scale earthquake was triggered.
The Hokuriku Shinkansen train service has been temporarily suspended.
On January 1, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto region, resulting in over 462 deaths, damage to roads, and other infrastructure. It was the deadliest natural disaster since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Japan sits atop four major tectonic plates on the western edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it one of the most seismically active countries in the world. With a population of about 125 million people, the Japanese archipelago experiences around 1,500 earthquakes annually, accounting for approximately 18% of total global earthquakes.
While the majority of earthquakes are minor, the damage they cause varies depending on their location and depth beneath the surface.
(This article referenced reports from Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press)