About 1,400 passengers remain stranded on bullet trains in Japan following earthquake

January 1, 2024 Japan earthquake

By Helen Regan, Sana Noor Haq, Antoinette Radford and Elise Hammond, CNN

Updated 1:00 a.m. ET, January 2, 2024
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1:20 p.m. ET, January 1, 2024

About 1,400 passengers remain stranded on bullet trains in Japan following earthquake

From CNN's Junko Ogura in Tokyo and Jonny Hallam

Four bullet trains that came to a halt between the cities of Toyama and Kanazawa in Japan's Ishikawa prefecture during Monday's powerful earthquake remained at a standstill on Tuesday local time.

Japan's public broadcaster NHK, citing Japan Railways West, reported that nearly 1,400 passengers continued to be stranded inside the immobile high-speed trains more than 10 hours since the powerful tremor shook the region.

11:54 a.m. ET, January 1, 2024

Japan removes tsunami warnings, but tsunami advisories remain in effect

From CNN's Hanako Montgomery in Tokyo 

The tsunami warnings along portions of Japan’s western coast have been canceled as the threat of additional large waves diminishes. 

While the threat of larger waves has now passed, tsunami advisories for waves up to 1 meter (about 3 feet) remain in effect.

12:25 p.m. ET, January 1, 2024

Watch the moment tsunami wave reached Ishikawa prefecture

CNN's meteorologist Derek Van Dam speaks on January 1.
CNN's meteorologist Derek Van Dam speaks on January 1. (CNN)

While a wave that struck a protective sea wall in the western Japanese city of Suzu "could have been a lot worse," according to CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam, there is still a threat of tsunami waves following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake.

The video shows the sea wall as a barrier for the city, which is on the opposite side of the peninsula where the earthquake occurred.

“Think of it as if you had a bathtub full of water and you were to drop a rock inside of it. It creates waves that propagate in all directions. They reach the side of your bath and then come in towards the center again. Same idea here,” he said.

Watch his full analysis here:

1:46 p.m. ET, January 1, 2024

Aftershocks could continue for months after western Japan earthquake, seismologist says

A collapsed road and houses are pictured following an earthquake in Wajima, Japan, on January 1.
A collapsed road and houses are pictured following an earthquake in Wajima, Japan, on January 1. (Kyodo/Reuters)

A seismologist with the US Geological Survey warned that aftershocks caused by the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck western Japan on Monday could last for months.

Susan Hough said people living in that part of the country have felt earthquakes before, but she believes this is “the biggest earthquake by far” — which means most residents likely don’t have experience with a seismic event of this scale.

“An earthquake this big is going to continue to have aftershocks. It could easily have aftershocks bigger than magnitude 6, so that is going to be a hazard in its own right,” Hough said.

The initial earthquake collapsed buildings, caused fires and triggered tsunami alerts as far away as eastern Russia, prompting orders for residents to evacuate affected coastal areas of Japan.

In 2011, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake in eastern Japan caused a tsunami with 30-foot waves that damaged several nuclear reactors. Hough said, comparatively, while the risk of a tsunami of that 2011 size is less likely in the case of Monday’s earthquake, people living near the coast should still evacuate. 

Some of the first reports came from the city of Wajima in Ishikawa prefecture, which saw tsunami waves of around 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) around 4:21 p.m. local time, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

Ultimately, location plays a major part in how big of an impact an earthquake can have, Hough added.

Hough said this earthquake was shallow. "Where the fault was moving was very close to where people were living, and that can concentrate shaking close to where the earthquake happened. The energy just doesn't have a lot of time to travel and spread out before it gets close to where people live," she explained.

10:26 a.m. ET, January 1, 2024

Snowboarders describe moment earthquake hit Ishikawa

Taiwanese tourist Johnny Wu was waiting for a bus home when the earthquake struck western Japan, describing people as "panicked" once the shaking started.

"You can see all the snow from the the electric wire goes down, and also (the snow) from the roof fell down and all the cars are shaking. And so everybody was panicked at that time," he told Reuters.

Wu said he has experienced earthquakes, but he was "still worried about (the quake) getting more serious."

Baldwin Chia, a 38-year-old tourist from Shanghai, said he was with a group of snowboarders and described the quake as "pretty massive."

"The whole room was shaking, the TV was shaking. I had to keep everything on the table. ... I did feel safe in my room, though. But everything else was shaking," he told Reuters.

Chia said his friends were outside at the time of the earthquake, adding "my first instinct was also just to text them, to see if they're OK. Definitely I was asking about the (possible) avalanches."

"It is quite scary, definitely. You know, when you hear about earthquakes in Japan, you wouldn't expect one to, you know, to actually experience one," he said.
11:15 a.m. ET, January 1, 2024

Japan was hit by a powerful earthquake. Here's what you need to know

From CNN staff

A torii gate is damaged after an earthquake at a shrine in Kanazawa, in Japan's Ishikawa prefecture, on January 1.
A torii gate is damaged after an earthquake at a shrine in Kanazawa, in Japan's Ishikawa prefecture, on January 1. (Kyodo News/AP)

A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck western Japan on Monday afternoon, triggering tsunami waves and causing damage to roads, power, transport services and infrastructure.

Japanese officials warned residents in affected areas to evacuate to higher ground, as 1,000 military personnel from the Self-Defense Forces were dispatched to aid rescue and recovery efforts.

Here are the latest developments:

  • Earthquake hits: The quake, which had a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), hit at 4:10 p.m. local time around 42 kilometers (26 miles) northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, according to the United States Geological Survey. Several aftershocks were reported in western Japan, USGS said, including a 6.2 magnitude aftershock around 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) southwest of Anamizu.
  • Tsunami warnings: Authorities issued tsunami warnings to residents of western Japan. Tsunami warnings are issued when waves are expected to be up to 3 meters (9.8 feet). Tsunami waves of around 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) were reported in Wajima City, Japanese public broadcaster NKH said. In Toyama City and surrounding areas, waves of less than 1 meter were reported, while the city of Noto remained under a tsunami warning.
  • Damage to infrastructure: The earthquake on Monday sliced through highways in western Japan, collapsed buildings, caused blazes and disrupted communications. As many as 33,000 households may be affected by power outages, said Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa, according to NHK.
  • Transport disruption: At least five highways have been closed and several flights canceled across airports in Ishikawa prefecture. Two flights were canceled at Noto Airport, where there is a crack on the runway. A flight from Tokyo landed earlier but turned back to the capital. There were 15 cancelations at Komatsu Airport. Schools were not in session, but 21 school facilities are being formed into evacuation centers. 
  • Rescue and recovery efforts: At least 8,500 military personnel are on standby to help with emergency efforts following the quake, said Japan's Defense Minister Minoru Kihara. Health officials in Suzu City said some doctors could not treat wounded patients because damaged roads mean they are unable to travel to work.
  • Scenes of trapped residents: Civilians screamed in videos posted to social media after entire homes were flattened in western Japan. In another video, people crouched under tables at a local bowling alley, where tremors shook the infrastructure and TV screens could be seen shaking from the ceiling. "My city is in a terrible state," one person said in a video posted from Noto. "I hope there is no fire."
8:41 a.m. ET, January 1, 2024

Japan dispatches 1,000 military personnel to quake zone

From CNN's Mayumi Maruyama

Japan is dispatching 1,000 military personnel to help rescue and recovery efforts following the 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Monday, the country's defense minister has said.

Minoru Kihara told reporters some members of the country's Self-Defense Forces have already reached the cities of Wajima and Suzu in Ishikawa prefecture.

Another 8,500 are on standby, he added.

Officials in several cities in Ishikawa prefecture reported damaged buildings, power outages, fires and cracks in roads.

8:35 a.m. ET, January 1, 2024

People hide under tables as earthquake rips through homes and roads in western Japan

From CNN's Sana Noor Haq

A person is seen hiding under a table at a bowling alley during the earthquake in Japan's Ishikawa Prefecture, in this screengrab taken from a video posted to social media.
A person is seen hiding under a table at a bowling alley during the earthquake in Japan's Ishikawa Prefecture, in this screengrab taken from a video posted to social media. From Social Media

Damaged roofs and wooden beams from collapsed houses were strewn across Wajima City in Ishikawa prefecture Monday after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit western Japan.

The quake struck at 4:10 p.m. local time around 42 kilometers (26 miles) northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Several tsunami warnings and waves were reported in multiple areas, including in Wajima City, Noto City and Toyama City. Officials warned people in affected areas to evacuate to higher ground.

Civilians screamed in videos posted to social media after entire homes were flattened. In another video, people crouched under tables at a local bowling alley, where tremors shook the infrastructure and TV screens could be seen shaking from the ceiling.

The quake brought several transport services to a standstill, causing delays to services on train lines. Travelers ran and tried to take cover in Ishikawa railway station as thunderous sounds echoed through the facility.

Huge cracks split parts of the road in Ishikawa prefecture. Health officials in the city of Suzu warned that some doctors could not travel to work to treat wounded patients due to extensive road damage.

Sirens could be heard as fires caused by the quake raged in the city of Wajima, with smoke billowing over trees and tall buildings.

One video filmed in the city of Noto showed crates of eggplants spilled across the road. Parts of the street were flooded in shallow water, where fences, roofs and small shrubs had fallen down.

"My city is in a terrible state," one person said in the video. "I hope there is no fire."

7:51 a.m. ET, January 1, 2024

In pictures: Quake causes damaged buildings and cracks in roads

A huge 7.5 earthquake hit Japan on Monday afternoon local time, triggering tsunami warnings, disrupting communications and power, slicing through highways and damaging buildings.

The quake struck around 42 kilometers (26 miles) northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, triggering several aftershocks, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Images from the country show collapsed buildings, cracks in roads and a fire in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture.

Thousands of households are affected by power outages, officials have said, and Japan Self-Defense Forces said they are on their way to support the Ishikawa prefecture.

Residents survey damage following an earthquake in Wajima City, Japan, on January 1.
Residents survey damage following an earthquake in Wajima City, Japan, on January 1. The Yomiuri Shimbun/Reuters

Shoppers crouch inside a supermarket following the earthquake in Toyama, Japan.
Shoppers crouch inside a supermarket following the earthquake in Toyama, Japan. Kyodo News/AP

A collapsed section of a commercial facility is seen in Kaga. Japan.
A collapsed section of a commercial facility is seen in Kaga. Japan. Kyodo News/AP

A fire rages in Wajima, following the earthquake.
A fire rages in Wajima, following the earthquake. Kyodo News/AP