Six people killed after record rains caused floods in Japan

 

 

Six people have died and 10 others are missing after record rains caused flooding and landslides in parts of Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture.

The cities of Wajima and Suzu, still recovering from the massive earthquake that devastated the area on January 1, were among the hardest hit by the deluge, which began on Saturday and continued until midday local time (0300 GMT) on Monday.

According to local media, on Sunday both cities received double the amount of rain that usually falls in September in an average year.

Dozens of rivers burst their banks, blocking roads and isolating more than 100 communities in the prefecture, reports added.

Two of the deceased were found near a tunnel hit by a landslide in Wajima.

One of them was a construction worker engaged in road repair work.

Other victims included two elderly men and an elderly woman, The Japan Times reported, citing local authorities.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest alert level, “life-threatening,” for Ishikawa on Saturday, and downgraded it to a normal alert on Sunday.

However, authorities have asked for continued caution as torrential rain is likely to continue until at least midday on Monday.

Floodwaters have submerged temporary shelters built for people who lost their homes in the New Year’s Eve earthquake.

Footage broadcast by NHK showed an entire street in Wajima submerged under water.

The region is still recovering from a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake in January, which killed at least 236 people, destroyed buildings and sparked a massive fire.

According to the Hokuriku Electric Power Company, about 4,000 households were without electricity on Monday.

More than 40,000 residents of four Ishikawa towns, including Wajima, Suzu and Noto City, were evacuated over the weekend.

Another 16,000 residents in Niigata and Yamagata prefectures north of Ishikawa were also ordered to evacuate, AFP news agency reported.

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