Six people have died and ten others are missing following record rainfall that triggered floods and landslides in Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture. The cities of Wajima and Suzu, still recovering from a devastating earthquake earlier this year, were among the hardest hit by the deluge, which began on Saturday and continued until noon local time on Monday.
Local media reported that on Sunday, both cities received double their typical September rainfall in just one day. The intense rainfall caused dozens of rivers to overflow, isolating over 100 communities across the region.
Among the deceased are two individuals found near a tunnel affected by a landslide in Wajima, including a construction worker who was performing road repairs. Local authorities have also confirmed the deaths of two elderly men and one elderly woman.
Japan’s meteorological agency initially issued its highest “life-threatening” alert level for Ishikawa on Saturday, downgrading it to a regular warning the following day. Nevertheless, officials urged continued vigilance as heavy rain was expected to persist until at least noon on Monday.
The floodwaters also inundated temporary housing set up for those displaced by the January earthquake. Footage from NHK showed entire streets in Wajima submerged. Approximately 4,000 households were without power on Monday, according to Hokuriku Electric Power Company.
In total, more than 40,000 residents across four cities in Ishikawa, including Wajima, Suzu, and the town of Noto, have been evacuated over the weekend. Additionally, another 16,000 residents in the nearby Niigata and Yamagata prefectures have been advised to evacuate as well.
