Japanese Earthquakes Kill 57

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook Ishikawa, Japan, on Monday, killing at least 57 people and injuring dozens more. Since then, aftershocks have continued to rattle the island nation. On Tuesday, officials warned of possibly more quakes.

Current damage reports:

• Tens of thousands of homes destroyed
• A fire in Wajima City, Ishikawa
• 33,000 homes without electricity
• Nearly 200 aftershocks have slowed efforts to restore power and other basic infrastructure.

Following the quake, Japan issued its highest-level tsunami warning but dropped it after nothing developed. The Japanese military deployed 10,000 personnel to aid in rescue-and-relief efforts.

Why did this happen? When tragedies like this strike, many wonder why God would allow such disasters. Some cite these calamities as reason to believe God doesn’t exist.

But the Bible reveals why God allows natural disasters. Jesus Christ Himself prophesied that there would be “famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” and that “all these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8).

Your Bible reveals why Jesus’s prophecy will come to pass. And it shows the great hope in the tragedies we see today.

Learn more: Read our free booklet Why ‘Natural’ Disasters?