Unprecedented rainfall has triggered fatal flooding and landslides in a coastal area of Japan that is still in the process of recovering from a catastrophic earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day.
Japan’s meteorological agency released its highest emergency alert for Ishikawa prefecture on Saturday, urging locals to take extreme precautions as it reported the heaviest rainfall the region has ever witnessed. The relentless downpour led to the overflow of 16 rivers in the vicinity.
According to NHK, based on local officials’ reports, at least six individuals have lost their lives, several others are unaccounted for, and tens of thousands have been compelled to evacuate.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism stated that four workers involved in earthquake recovery efforts in Wajima city are missing, potentially engulfed by a landslide.
The tempest also disrupted electricity for over 6,200 homes, according to authorities.
Ishikawa faced devastation and sorrow on January 1, when a fierce 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto peninsula, resulting in hundreds of fatalities and extensive destruction.
Images revealed that temporary shelters constructed for those who lost their residences in the quake were surrounded by several feet of murky floodwaters over the weekend. Earthquakes destabilize the soil, rendering it vulnerable to additional landslides, particularly after heavy precipitation.
The meteorological agency lowered its warning level on Sunday but advised residents to remain vigilant.
