If you've ever felt the ground shake, you know how unsettling an earthquake can be, and Japan experiences them frequently. But understanding why they happen there so often, and what a tsunami warning truly means, can make all the difference.
Japan is currently in the news due to a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck its west coast on New Year's Day 2024.
This major quake, centered in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, triggered tsunami warnings, destroyed buildings, and caused widespread power outages and landslides.