Japan hit by deadly earthquake and aftershocks

Japan is reeling from a powerful earthquake that struck the central Ishikawa region on Friday afternoon. The 6.5 magnitude quake, which occurred at a depth of 12 kilometers, left at least one person dead and destroyed several buildings. As of Saturday morning, around 55 aftershocks, some of them strong, had occurred, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Officials are now assessing damage from the quake, while warning that heavy rain could trigger landslides in the area.

At least 23 people were injured in the earthquake, and two people trapped inside destroyed buildings were rescued. About 50 people had moved to evacuation centers set up at schools and the city hall. TV footage showed a grocery shop strewn with broken wine bottles and other products that had fallen from shelves. Some residents were seen clearing rubble in the rain after their wooden houses were partially destroyed.

Japan is prone to earthquakes, as it sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. The country has strict construction regulations intended to ensure buildings can withstand strong quakes and routinely holds emergency drills to prepare for a major jolt. A 6.9 magnitude quake struck a fishing village in the same region in 2007, injuring hundreds and damaging more than 200 buildings on the Noto peninsula.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who had returned from a tour to four African nations and Singapore, expressed his condolences to the person who died and sympathized with those who were hit by the disaster. He also assured the public that the government will continue to take measures with a sense of urgency while closely communicating with officials at the scene.

Japan is still haunted by the memory of the massive 9.0 magnitude undersea quake off its northeast in March 2011, which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.