Japan’s Noto Earthquake: Civil–Military Synergy in HADR Operations

On 1 January 2024, Japan witnessed an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude on the Richter scale off its northwest coast in the Noto Peninsula. As per the reports from US Geological Survey and the Japan Meteorological Agency, the said earthquake triggered a Tsunami warning. Several aftershocks were felt along the western coast in the succeeding hours of the main earthquake. Tsunami waves up to 1.2 meters were witnessed in Kashiwazaki, Wajima, Kanazawa port, Toyama city, Sado Island and Tobishima Island. The aftermath of the quake was followed by rescue and relief efforts synergised by both the civil administration and the Japanese Self Defense Forces (JSDF). Understanding the lessons learnt from such natural disasters, it becomes imperative for India to understand the challenges in the existing framework and take-home lessons in Disaster Management for tackling such national emergencies in the backdrop of such national calamities