- A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Japan's Noto Peninsula on January 1, 2024, resulting in over 700 deaths and ongoing related health complications.
- The earthquake damaged over 165,000 homes across 11 prefectures, with Ishikawa Prefecture experiencing the most severe impact.
- More than 17,000 Ishikawa residents remain in temporary housing, and populations in affected areas are declining as people relocate.

A: Hey! Did you hear about the earthquake anniversary? It’s been two years today!

B: No way, already? I remember seeing it on the news. It was so sad.

A: Yeah! Sadly, the death toll is expected to go over 700 now. It's really heartbreaking.

B: Wow, that’s a lot. When was it exactly?

A: January 1st, 2024. It hit the Noto Peninsula. It was a really big one, a 7.6 magnitude.

B: Oh, wow! Did it cause tsunamis too?

A: Yep! And a lot of houses were damaged. Over 165,000! Ishikawa Prefecture was hit the hardest.

B: That’s terrible. Are people still living in temporary housing?

A: Definitely. Over 17,000 people in Ishikawa are still in temporary places.

B: That’s a lot of people. Are they rebuilding?

A: They’re trying. The local governments are working on demolishing the really damaged buildings. They’re also planning to build more public housing this year.

B: Good! It’s so sad to hear that people are leaving the area though.

A: I know! The population in Oku-Noto dropped a lot, more than 13 percent. It’s tough.