Six Fatalities And Ten Missing Following Heavy Rainfall In Japan's Quake-Affected Noto Region

In Ishikawa Prefecture's Noto region, six people lost their lives and 10 others were missing after severe rain on Saturday. The area, already affected by a major earthquake, faced further challenges. Rescue teams continued their efforts as flooding from heavy rainfall impacted nearly two dozen rivers, leading to landslides that blocked roads and isolated over 100 communities.

Two of the deceased were discovered near a tunnel in Wajima, which had been damaged by the January 1 earthquake and was undergoing repairs. Some workers at this site were successfully rescued. Meanwhile, two individuals remained missing after being swept away by swollen rivers, with eight others unaccounted for in different parts of the prefecture.

Wajima experienced almost 500 millimetres of rain over 48 hours until Sunday afternoon, while Suzu recorded nearly 400 mm. Both cities on the Noto Peninsula had been under heavy rain warnings since the previous day. The rainfall in these areas was double the typical September levels.

The Japan Meteorological Agency downgraded its "special warnings" for Wajima, Suzu, and Noto town to "warnings" as the rain lessened. However, they advised residents in Ishikawa and Niigata prefectures to remain cautious about potential disasters due to ongoing heavy rain until noon on Monday.

The agency highlighted that the ground in some areas had loosened due to both the magnitude-7.6 earthquake on January 1 and recent rains. This increased the risk of landslides even with minimal additional rainfall. Residents were urged to stay vigilant against further hazards.

Niigata Prefecture also faced significant rainfall, exceeding 300 mm within the same period. The weather agency stressed that conditions remained precarious and advised continued caution across affected regions.

The ongoing rescue operations aim to locate those still missing while addressing infrastructure damage caused by floods and landslides. Efforts are focused on restoring access to isolated communities and ensuring safety amid challenging weather conditions.

With inputs from WAM