7.6 magnitude earthquake shifted the coastline in Japan by over 600 feet

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan on the first day of 2024 has shifted the coastline in certain areas by as much as 656 feet. The differences between the coastline before and after the earthquake have been captured by satellite images and confirmed by preliminary field visits. The powerful earthquake hit at 4:10 pm local time and was the strongest earthquake in the region in the last four decades, as per the US Geological Survey.

The Japanese Meteorological Agency issued its first tsunami warning in 2011 after one meter high waves were observed along the Japanese west coast. The region is situated at the convergence of four tectonic plates and has seen an estimated 20 percent of global earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 and higher.

Satellite images taken days after the event showed that land in certain regions had moved up and sideways in multiple regions. A more detailed analysis showed that the shift extends to 800 feet. Japan's coastline shift Nahel Belgherze shared images of the major shift in the Japanese coastline on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

The earthquake that struck Japan’s Noto peninsula on Monday was so strong that the coastline has moved up to 250 meters offshore due to significant land uplift. The images compared satellite images of the Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, before and after the . The water had receded from the shore.

The images show the emergence of newer beaches. Researchers from the Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo also conducted some field surveys after the earthquake and observed a nearly eight inch (0.2 m) coseismic uplift at multiple locations. The researchers also interviewed the local population to confirm that the earthquake and coastal uplift occurred simultaneously.

In places like the Igisu and Minazuki ports, the uplift led to the emergence of sea floors above sea levels, which are dry and inaccessible to boats. New beaches, old problems The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan deployed the Advanced Land Observing Satellite 2 (ALOS 2) to observe the Noto Peninsula.

Using the Synthetic Aperture Radar ( ) on the satellites, the government ministry compared images of the region captured before the January 1st earthquake to ones after. The SAR imagery confirmed the land emergence after the earthquake, which in areas such as Minazuki Bay extended to 656 feet (200 m).

Similar observations were made at other locations, such as Nafune Port and Wajima City. The related SAR imagery is available on the website with the disclaimer that numbers might be updated after a more detailed analysis. New beaches in Japan are not welcome news for thousands who still need access to basic amenities like water, electricity, and mobile connectivity in some parts of the country.

The occurrence of a powerful earthquake will refresh memories of the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and tsunami that left nearly 20,000 dead. The geological event also triggered a disaster at the city's nuclear power plant, leading to the closure of similar facilities across the country. Only last month, authorities allowed the restart of the nuclear power plant.

The recent earthquake could result in a rethink of government policy..