One dead, others missing as floods swamp quake-hit Japan
One person has died and several people are missing after record rainfall brought flooding and landslides to coastal Japan, in the same region that was hit by a massive earthquake on New Year's Day, local authorities said.
Japan's weather agency issued its highest emergency warning for Ishikawa prefecture Saturday, urging residents to take extreme precautions in what it said is the heaviest rainfall the region has ever experienced.
The warning was downgraded Sunday morning, but the weather agency asked residents to remain on high alert.
The torrential downpour caused 16 rivers in the area to breach their banks, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.
One person in the city of Suzu died after their home was swallowed by a landslide, NHK reported.
At least six people are missing, Ishikawa authorities said, and tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate, according to NHK.
The storm has knocked out power in more than 6200 households, authorities said.
It's a region that has already endured destruction and misery once this year.
On January 1, a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto peninsula in Ishikawa, killing hundreds of people and causing widespread destruction that the region is still recovering from.
Temporary housing built for people who lost their homes in the earthquake was surrounded by several feet of murky floodwater, photos showed.
People remove mud to dislodge a car following flooding in Wajima city, Ishikawa prefecture.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, four workers who were doing earthquake restoration work in Wajima city have gone missing. The ministry says it's possible they were caught up in a landslide.
Earthquakes make soil unstable and prone to further landslides, especially after heavy rains.
By late afternoon Saturday, about 1350 residents were taking shelter at designated community centers, school gymnasiums and other town facilities, authorities said.
About 50cm of rain has fallen in the region over the last three days, due to the rainbands that cause torrential rain above the Hokuriku region, JMA said.
"Heavy rain is hitting the region that had been badly damaged by the Noto earthquake, and I believe many people are feeling very uneasy," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
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