A massive earthquake struck Ishikawa (M7) and Niigata Prefectures (M6) of Japan around 4:10PM local time on January 1, 2024. Collapsed buildings, fires, power and water outages, and injuries have been reported across the Hokuriku region.

Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa was hit by a strong earthquake back in May 2023 forcing many residents to flee their homes. As the damage is expected to expand in the coming days, Civic Force（a member of A-PAD） is preparing to scale up our assistance activities. The emergency team has been dispatched to Suzu City in Ishikawa. The team will conduct needs assessments and conduct search and rescue operations, provide medical assistance, and distribute relief items as well as supporting evacuation center management. Civic Force also plans to support the living conditions of evacuees and reconstruction efforts in the mid to long term.