In Japan’s Ishikawa, floods and landslides have resulted from record rainfall, leaving ten people missing and six dead. The worst catastrophe fell on Wajima and Suzu, which are still recovering from a fatal earthquake earlier this year. Intense rain that began on Saturday and continued until noon on Monday completely inundated the region.
Numerous rivers in Wajima and Suzu overflowed their banks on Sunday due to double the rain in September. Throughout Ishikawa, the water blocked highways and shut off more than 100 villages. Authorities discovered two bodies next to a tunnel in Wajima that a landslide had destroyed; one of the dead was a construction worker fixing roads. Sadly, local sources also stated that among the dead were two old men and an elderly lady.
Japan’s meteorological office issued the highest “life-threatening” alert level for Ishikawa on Saturday but lowered it to a routine warning on Sunday. Despite this, officials advised locals to remain cautious as heavy rain was expected to continue at least until noon on Monday.
Floodwaters submerged a temporary shelter built for individuals displaced by the New Year’s Day earthquake. NHK footage showed Wajima’s streets fully underwater. The area is still recovering from the January earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.5, destroyed houses, and started a large fire. At least 236 people died in the incident.
According to the Hokuriku Electric Power Company, as of Monday, Ishikawa floods and landslides had left approximately 4,000 homes without electricity. Over the weekend, authorities evacuated more than 40,000 people from four cities in Ishikawa, including Wajima, Suzu, and Noto. Additionally, evacuation orders extended to around 16,000 residents in the neighboring prefectures of Niigata and Yamagata.
