*Information as of January 5, 2024 It's been a month since the Noto Peninsula earthquake. The biggest damage in the prefecture was liquefaction, which spread in Nishi Ward, Niigata City and other areas. We interviewed the moment captured in various places, the voices of residents, and expert analysis. On the evening of New Year's Day, a strong tremor struck the prefecture. Nishi Ward, Niigata City, recorded a seismic intensity of 5+. Immediately after the earthquake, muddy water overflowed from the ground. ■Owner of a car damaged by liquefaction: "It was a tremor like I've never experienced before. Then the parking lot started to sink and the water started to rise. At that moment, I thought that if it continued like this, I had to prepare for my car to be submerged." Liquefaction occurred one after another in Nishi Ward. Roads became wavy, and damage extended to houses. When the water subsided, all that remained was a large amount of soil and sand. Residents were busy removing it. ■Resident: "Well, we have no choice but to do what we can. Our house is tilted, but I'm feeling anxious and worried." Tomoko Aoyagi of Torihara district witnessed liquefaction next to her house immediately after the earthquake. ■Affected by liquefaction Tomoko Aoyagi: "Sand and mud spurted out from under the foundation, and accumulated up to this point. The foundation sank and the house tilted." When I was shown the inside of the house, I saw that the tatami mats in the bedroom had shifted, leaving gaps, and there were cracks in the walls, which had to be filled with plastic bags to cover them. The whole house was tilted so much that batteries placed in the hallway were rolling around. ■Affected by liquefaction Tomoko Aoyagi: "I don't know how many times it tilted, but it felt like it was moving forward quickly, and then it felt like it was stumbling, and I gradually felt worse." Liquefaction occurs in sandy ground that contains a lot of water. Normally, the sand grains fit together to support houses and other structures, but when shaken by an earthquake, they turn into muddy water and lose their strength, causing subsidence and houses to tilt. Experts point out that the damage from liquefaction was concentrated in Nishi Ward because the land was prone to liquefaction. Professor Urabe Atsushi, Disaster and Reconstruction Science Research Institute, Niigata University: "There is unsolidified sand, the grains are uniform in size, and the area is filled with a lot of groundwater. It is widely said that liquefaction can occur when the shaking exceeds a strong 5, and the area along the prefectural road in Nishi Ward has uniform grains of sand and a topography and environment with high groundwater levels, which is why liquefaction occurred." Reporter: "At this shrine in Nishi Ward, Niigata City, the torii gate has tilted due to the earthquake, and one of its legs is buried in the ground. You can see water overflowing from the nearby road." Even more than a day after the earthquake, there are places where water is gushing out, which shows that the area has a lot of groundwater. You can check whether the land you live on is susceptible to liquefaction by looking at the "Liquefaction Susceptibility Map" provided by the Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau. ■Announcer Eimi Toyama: "Looking at Nishi Ward, Niigata City, where the damage was the worst this time, we can see that many areas are shown in the highest risk color, red." Niigata Nishi Post Office, where a parking lot collapsed due to liquefaction, is also shown in the highest risk color, "red." In addition, "gray" is overlaid to indicate that liquefaction has occurred in the past. In the Niigata earthquake 60 years ago, liquefaction occurred all over Niigata City. Bridges collapsed and apartment buildings were toppled. This earthquake attracted worldwide attention, and research on liquefaction began in earnest. It is said that liquefaction will occur again in the same places unless measures are taken. Professor Urabe Atsushi, Disaster and Reconstruction Science Research Institute, Niigata University: "Liquefaction also occurred in some areas during the Niigata earthquake, but at the level of individual residential land, when building or rebuilding a house, it is possible to improve the ground, harden it a little, or drive in piles. It is also possible to drain the water. It is difficult to implement such measures on existing buildings, but I think that if measures are taken when rebuilding after the recent damage, it will be possible to prevent it from happening again." Niigata City has not yet fully grasped the extent of the liquefaction damage to homes, and investigations are ongoing. Experts point out that if there is a stronger tremor than this one, the damage could spread to other areas as well. ■ Professor Urabe Atsushi, Niigata University Disaster and Reconstruction Science Research Institute: "If the fault is within the prefecture, it will shake even more. If that happens, the area that is prone to liquefaction will become wider, and there will be a lot of liquefaction and damage to buildings. I want people to think again about the ground, environment, and homes where they live, and think about what they can do to prepare." #NotoPeninsulaEarthquake #Liquefaction #NiigataCity #1Month #NotoEarthquake #UXNiigataTV21 #Niigata