"About 5,000 Buildings Damaged by Noto Earthquake... Over 1,700 Completely Destroyed"

Private Surveying Company Compares Pre- and Post-Earthquake Images Using Satellites

On the 1st, an earthquake directly struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, causing damage to approximately 5,000 buildings in the area, with an estimated 1,700 buildings completely destroyed, NHK reported on the 10th, citing the analysis results from a private surveying company.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the report, the private surveying company 'Pasco' captured images of eight areas on the Noto Peninsula, including the center of Washima City in Ishikawa Prefecture, on the 2nd using a French satellite, and conducted a detailed analysis of building damage by comparing these images with those taken before the earthquake.

The analysis revealed that at least 4,865 buildings, mainly along the coastal areas such as Washima City and Suzu City, were either collapsed or had parts of the buildings fallen onto the streets, indicating possible damage. The number of buildings determined to be completely destroyed reached 1,765.

In the center of Washima City, known to have suffered the most severe damage, buildings were reported to be collapsing in various locations besides the street where a large-scale fire broke out. In Suzu City, many buildings along the coast were also reported to have been damaged.

While Ishikawa Prefecture has yet to fully grasp the overall damage situation, it previously announced that 1,825 houses were counted as damaged by the earthquake. NHK reported that the results of this survey suggest that the actual damage may far exceed the prefecture's own assessment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.