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The collision of tectonic plates has once again alerted the Japanese nation. The devastating earthquake struck northern central Japan on the very first day of the new year – January 1^st, at 4:10 pm local time. The epicentre of the disaster was the Noto peninsula, which was also hit by a series of aftershocks measuring around 5 on the Richter scale.

Several thousand people lost their homes overnight and are now struggling with their fate. They are living with exhaustion and uncertainty on the west coast of Japan, but they are still lucky not to be among the more than 170 people who have died in the earthquake. The number could rise as dozens of people are still unaccounted for.

Everyone is recovering from the disaster, and thousands of soldiers, firefighters, and police officers are helping to clean up the aftermath, walking through the collapsed buildings every day in the hope of finding survivors. But the danger is not over. Authorities have warned of the risk of landslides, exacerbated by heavy snowfall, across the epicentre of the quake on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.

The grim statistics are as follows: 70 people died in Wajima, 70 in Suzu, 18 in Anamizu, and the rest in four other cities. At least 323 people are still missing. More than 560 people were injured, and 1,390 houses were destroyed or severely damaged.

As these are coastal areas, the powerful earthquake also produced a several-metre-high tsunami, adding to the damage. Japanese meteorologists have warned citizens that strong tremors could continue for another month. As we have said before, although the frequency of these tremors is gradually decreasing, they are still powerful enough to cause further property damage and endanger lives.

Recovery efforts have already begun. However, rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure is the least of the problems. Let us think ahead and try to ensure, first and foremost, that the population is informed of the impending disaster. This is the only way people can prepare for the inevitable and tip the scales in their favour. And let us do it in a way that everyone can hear it. Just as Telegrafians do with their electronic sirens.

The article was written by

Róbert Jakab

Robert is like a moving photograph – because he is like a video. He can capture 60 frames per second. Whenever something happens, he records it. Currently, he’s working on smaller videos and hoping to make a feature film one day and then its sequel. Telegrafia 2: Monkey Power