With 2024 just two days old, Japan has already been rocked by dual disasters — an earthquake on its western coast and a plane crash at a major Tokyo airport.
With 2024 just two days old, Japan has already been rocked by dual disasters — an earthquake on its western coast and a plane crash at a major Tokyo airport.
Some 48 persons have been confirmed dead as an earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula on the afternoon of New Year’s Day. Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescue efforts were ongoing, and reports said victims remained trapped under rubble.
Just hours later after darkness had descended, Haneda, one of two airports serving Tokyo, was forced to close when a Japan Airlines airliner went up in flames on the ground.
The blaze was reportedly caused by a ground collision with a Coast Guard aircraft engaged in earthquake disaster relief. Early reports from Japanese broadcaster NHK said that five of the six members of the Coast Guard crew aboard the Bombardier Dash-8 aircraft were killed in the incident.
The Noto Peninsula, northwest of Tokyo on the main island of Honshu, sticks out into the Sea of Japan for approximately 60 miles. That’s where the 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck at 4:10 pm on New Year’s Day.
