Japan: Land Shifts To West By 1.3 Meters After Series Of Earthquakes, Says Authority

The phenomenon of land sifting following the series of 155 earthquakes has been put forward by Japan's Geospatial Information Authority, known as GSI, after meticulous analysis of GPS data following the 7.6 magnitude quake.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 2 January 2024 12:14 pm

Visual from Japan's earthquake-hit Ishikawa Prefecture

As a crucial geological development amidst the catastrophic series of earthquakes in the island country of Japan, the land in the Noto region near the epicenter has shifted to the west by 1.3 meters. 155 powerful earthquakes rocked the Ishikawa Prefecture on Monday.

About the land shifting

The phenomenon of land sifting has been put forward by Japan's Geospatial Information Authority, known as GSI, after meticulous analysis of GPS data following the 7.6 magnitude quake. According to the geological watchdog, preliminary figures indicated that an observation point in Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture experienced the biggest shift, moving horizontally about 1.3 meters to the west.

Moreover, the data analysis also points to a westward shift of about 1 meter in Anamizu Town and 80 centimeters in Suzu City while an observation point in Nanao City's Notojima has been displaced by 60 centimeters northwest toward the Sea of Japan coast.

Land appears to have shifted about 20 centimeters to the northwest in the prefectures and Niigata. Several centimeters of land shifts were also observed in the Kanto-Koshin elsewhere.