A powerful <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Chūetsu_earthquake" id="mwAVQ" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="2004 Chūetsu earthquake">earthquake</a> and its aftershocks hit <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niigata_Prefecture" id="mwAVU" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Niigata Prefecture">Niigata Prefecture</a> in northern Japan, killing 35 people, injuring 2,200, and leaving 85,000 homeless or evacuated.