In Ishikawa, a coastal region of northern Japan still reeling from a recent earthquake, one person has been confirmed dead and seven others are missing due to unprecedented rainfall that has triggered floods and landslides.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued its highest “life-threatening” alert level for Ishikawa on Saturday, as torrential rains are expected to continue until midday on Sunday.
Over 40,000 residents across four cities have been ordered to evacuate, following the overflow of at least a dozen rivers in the area.
According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, two individuals were swept away by powerful river currents, while four workers engaged in road repairs post-earthquake are also unaccounted for.
Wajima experienced over 120mm (4.7 inches) of rain on Saturday morning, marking the heaviest rainfall recorded in the area.
JMA forecaster Sugimoto Satoshi emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “This level of downpours has never been experienced in this region before.
Residents must secure their safety immediately; the risk to their lives is imminent.”
Footage from NHK showed streets in Wajima completely submerged.
Government official Koji Yamamoto noted that 60 workers were on-site to restore earthquake-damaged roads when they were caught in a landslide.
Efforts to reach the site by rescue teams have been hampered by additional landslides.
In addition to the fatality, two people have sustained serious injuries, and around 6,000 households are without power, with many more lacking running water.
Evacuation orders have been issued for approximately 44,000 residents in the cities of Wajima and Suzu, as well as the town of Noto, all within Ishikawa prefecture.
An additional 16,000 residents in the neighboring Niigata and Yamagata prefectures have also been urged to evacuate.
Wajima and Suzu are still recovering from a devastating 7.5 magnitude earthquake on New Year’s Day that resulted in at least 236 fatalities and significant infrastructure damage.
Japan has experienced increasingly severe rainfall in recent years, leading to numerous floods and landslides that have claimed lives and caused widespread disruption.
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