Heavy rains in Japan’s coastal Ishikawa region have left one person dead and seven others missing, officials reported Saturday. The area, still recovering from a powerful New Year’s Day earthquake, is now facing severe flooding and landslides.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued its highest “life-threatening” alert for Ishikawa, warning of continued torrential rains until midday Sunday. More than 40,000 people across four cities have been ordered to evacuate as at least a dozen rivers in the region overflowed their banks.
In Wajima, one of the hardest-hit areas, over 120mm (4.7in) of rain fell Saturday morning, the heaviest downpour recorded since measurements began. JMA forecaster Sugimoto Satoshi emphasized the unprecedented nature of the rainfall, urging residents to “secure their safety immediately.”
Two of the missing individuals were reportedly swept away by strong river currents. Additionally, four workers conducting road repairs following the New Year’s earthquake are unaccounted for after a landslide.
Government official Koji Yamamoto reported that 60 people had been working on road restoration in Wajima when the landslide occurred. Rescue efforts have been hampered by continued landslides blocking access to the site.
The disaster has left approximately 6,000 households without power and an undetermined number without running water. In total, about 60,000 residents across Ishikawa, Niigata, and Yamagata prefectures have been ordered to evacuate.
This crisis comes as the region is still recovering from a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on January 1, which killed at least 236 people and caused significant damage to infrastructure.
Reuters
