Heavy rain pounded Japan’s north-central Noto region, triggering landslides and floods and leaving one person dead and several missing, officials have said.
The deluges caused swollen rivers to overflow, flooding homes and leaving some people stranded in a region still recovering from the deadly 1 January earthquake.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued the highest level of alert for heavy rain across several cities in the Ishikawa prefecture, including the hard-hit cities Suzu and Wajima on the northern coast of the Noto peninsula.
In Suzu, one person died and another was missing after being swept in flood waters. One other went missing in the nearby town of Noto, according to the prefecture.
In Wajima, four people were missing after a landslide at a construction site. They were among 60 construction workers repairing a tunnel damaged by January’s quake, the broadcaster NHK said, adding that one other was missing due to floods at a different location in the city.
NHK footage from a coastal area of Wajima showed a wooden house torn and tilted after it was apparently hit by a landslide from a steep hill, with muddy water still flowing down. No injuries were reported from the site.
In Noto town, two people were seriously injured when a landslide struck them while they were visiting their quake-damaged home.
At least 16 rivers in Ishikawa breached their banks as of Saturday afternoon, according to the land and infrastructure ministry. Residents were urged to use maximum caution against possible mudslides and building damage.
By late afternoon on Saturday, about 1,350 people were taking shelter at designated community centres, school gymnasiums and other town facilities, authorities said.
Up to 20cm (7.8in) of rainfall is predicted in the region within the next 24 hours through Sunday noon, due to the rain bands that cause torrential rain above the Hokuriku region, JMA said.
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“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 the chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi.
Hayashi said the government “puts people’s lives first” and its priority was search and rescue operations. He also called on people to pay close attention to the latest weather and evacuation advice and to take precautions early, adding that self-defence forces troops had been dispatched to Ishikawa to join rescue efforts.
A number of roads were also blocked by muddy water. Hokuriku Electric Power Co said about 6,500 homes were without power. Traffic lights were out in the affected areas. Many homes were also without water.
Heavy rain also fell in nearby northern prefectures of Niigata and Yamagata, raising the danger of flooding and other damage, officials said.
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the region on 1 January, killing more than 370 people and damaging roads and other key infrastructure. Its aftermath still affects people’s daily lives and the local industry and economy.