 "Driftwood is caught under a bridge, washed down a river after heavy rains caused flooding, in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, on September 22, 2024. AFP")
As the coastal region of Japan, especially the Ishikawa prefecture, recovers from the devastating earthquake that struck the region on New Year’s Day, record rainfall has left the area in complete shambles. The heavy rains brought deadly flooding and landslides in the region. Japan’s weather agency issued its highest emergency warning for Ishikawa prefecture on Saturday.
The authorities asked the residents to take extreme precautions in what they’re calling the heaviest rainfall the region has ever witnessed. According to NHK, the torrential downpour caused around 16 rivers in the area to breach their banks, and at least six people were killed in the rains.
Apart from this, several people are still missing, and tens of thousands of people were forced to evacuate the region due to flash floods. One person was killed in the city of Suzu after their home succumbed to a brutal landslide. Two bodies were found near a tunnel in the city of Wajima after a landslide. Meanwhile, two women were found dead in a house impacted by landslides, and a man was pulled from a river and was also confirmed dead.
Storm causes power outage
The intense storms left over 6,200 houses without electricity. The Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism also informed that four workers doing earthquake restoration work in Wajima city went missing after they got caught up in a landslide.
It is pertinent to note that the Ishikawa prefecture has endured major destruction following the January 1 earthquake. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake jolted the Noto peninsula, killing hundreds of people and destroying several houses and buildings.
The recent storms were devastating for the people who already suffered from the earthquake. Temporary housing built for people who lost their homes in the quake was eventually surrounded by several feet of murky floodwater on the weekend.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe past earthquakes made the soil unstable in the region and more prone to landslides. The heavy rains eventually became the final nail in the coffin. However, the authorities managed to bring things under control by the end of the weekend. On Sunday, the weather agency downgraded its warning level but still asked residents to remain on high alert.
With inputs from agencies.