Japan marks 1 year since powerful Noto quake, rebuilding remains slow

Some 21,000 residents remain evacuated or in temporary housing as of late December

Photo taken from a drone shows quake-damaged houses in a coastal area in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Dec. 10, 2024, remaining despite ongoing demolition work. © Kyodo

January 1, 2025 16:04 JST

Updated on January 1, 2025 18:46 JST

KANAZAWA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Japan on Wednesday marked one year since a powerful earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in central Japan, leaving at least 500 dead, including those who succumbed to health issues afterward, as efforts toward full recovery continue in the hardest-hit areas.

Some 21,000 residents in Ishikawa Prefecture, which faces the Sea of Japan, remain evacuated or in temporary housing as of late December, with infrastructure restoration and the demolition of collapsed homes still incomplete.