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 north-central Japan 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.