Japan's Noto Peninsula Struggles with Recovery One Year After Deadly Earthquake

The 7.5-magnitude quake claimed nearly 470 lives, displaced thousands, and left communities grappling with slow reconstruction and depopulation.

The New Year's Day 2024 earthquake was Japan's deadliest in over a decade, causing widespread destruction and triggering a tsunami and city-center fire in Wajima.
Nearly 470 people died, with half perishing during the disaster and the rest succumbing to aftershocks, freezing temperatures, and subsequent flooding in September.
Reconstruction has been slow, with only a quarter of severely damaged buildings in Wajima demolished, and many areas still inaccessible due to landslides and broken roads.
Over 200 people remain in emergency shelters, while thousands live in temporary housing, facing uncertainty and fears of future disasters.
The disaster has accelerated rural depopulation, with Wajima losing 2,500 residents in the past year, raising concerns about the town's long-term survival.