Japan Earthquake Moves Noto Peninsula Coastline by 800 Ft Due to Coseismic Coastal Uplift

The earthquake in Japan on New Year's Day, January 1, is the first major quake of 2024. It surprised the East Asia nation with an intensity of 7.6 magnitude and a series of tsunamis that struck the Japanese west coast, particularly the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture. The region is in Honshu, the main island of Japan.

The aftermath of Japan's earthquake resulted in the Noto Peninsula coastline extending by 800 feet due to coseismic coastal uplift, according to recent research and satellite images. This means that a new land emergence occurred in the western coastal areas of the peninsula, which was also shaken by aftershocks following the main identifiable quake on January 1.

Coseismic coastal uplift has been observed by geologists and seismologists before, including in Chile following the 1995 Antofagasta earthquake. In short, coastal uplift pertains to the phenomenon when seafloor surges from the bottom of the ocean or when land is elevated above the sea by seismic or tectonic forces.

Coseismic Coastal Uplift

Coseismic coastal uplift has long been known to be driven by powerful upward thrust coming from coastal tectonics. In a 2004 study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, researchers identified a shoreline uplift marked by a continuous white band visible at rocky headlands during the May 2003 earthquake in Algeria.

Currently, this geologic phenomenon is not considered by scientists as making new islands but rather an extension of coastal shorelines connected to a mainland. In the case of the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) detected land emergence along the coast where the ground has risen.

The observations of the GSI were based on satellite images of the Noto Peninsula coastline taken before and after the new year quake, with the first being in June 2023 and the second on January 2 of 2024. The images show that terrestrial area has slightly increased.

Scientists from the Earthquake Research Institute of The University of Tokyo also confirmed the occurrence of coseismic coastal uplift during a field investigation following the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, which occurred at around 4:10 p.m. JST (local time) on January 1.

Japan New Year Earthquake

Japan's new year earthquake resulted in the reported deaths of at least 213 people, including eight fatalities at evacuation centers where rescued survivors died from injuries and sickness. The 7.6 magnitude quake caused widespread damage and approximately 26,000 people were forced to stay at schools and other makeshift facilities since their homes were either destroyed or unsafe to live in.

Major tsunami warnings were also issued by Japanese authorities during the onset of the catastrophic natural disaster, which also caused many residents in affected areas to evacuate and seek higher grounds. While the 2024 Japan earthquake is not as powerful as the country's 2011 earthquake, it is still considered significantly devastating.