On January 1, 2024, at 4:14 PM Japanese time, a severe earthquake occurred in Japan. The epicenter was just a few kilometers off the west coast of Japan, registering a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale. Tokyo was also shaken by the earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7.
The west coast of Japan is currently under the highest tsunami alert level, and residents of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture and surrounding areas are being evacuated. Civil defense authorities anticipate waves of up to 5 meters high hitting the coast in the next few minutes.
It is still unclear whether a stronger earthquake is imminent. Flooding and waves between 1-5 meters are expected along the entire west coast. The epicenter has experienced significant damage, with smaller residential buildings collapsing, and the ground has cracked in many places.
At the time of the earthquake, we were on the 14th floor of our hotel. Fortunately, buildings in Japan are extremely earthquake-resistant. We were informed in advance about the impending earthquake both through our mobile phones and a loudspeaker announcement by the hotel staff. The instruction was to remain calm and not leave our rooms, as the building provided enhanced protection.
As the building began to sway, chandeliers started to clink, and it felt like being on a ship in rough seas. At the peak of the earthquake, our hotel tower likely swayed about 40-50 centimeters in each direction, and we had a rather uneasy feeling. After about 7 minutes, it was all over, and an announcement was made that the building would be inspected for possible damage. A few minutes later, the final reassurance came: the earthquake was over, and the building was undamaged.
Video filmed from the hotel window:
In Japan, up to 1000 earthquakes occur annually, with the majority of them being imperceptible. Today's earthquake was certainly one of the stronger ones. However, it can be summarized that civil defense authorities in Japan work exceptionally well, and the buildings provide a very high level of safety. During the earthquake, train services were temporarily suspended to prevent derailments. In Tokyo, normalcy was restored within approximately an hour after the earthquake.
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