Ishikawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. With a population of 1,140,573 residents as of 2019, it is bordered by Toyama Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, and Fukui Prefecture. The region experienced an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 and a depth of 10 kilometers at 4:10 p.m. local time on January 1st, causing severe infrastructural damage, fire outbreaks and a loss of power to more than 33,000 homes.
Following the earthquake, tsunami waves of around 1.2 meters have been reported in several areas, leading to tsunami warnings being issued along coastal regions of western Japan. People have been urged to evacuate to higher ground, highways are closed, planes grounded and bullet train services in the region have also been suspended.
About 1,000 military personnel’s have been dispatched to aid search and rescue operations with an unspecified number of casualties recorded.
