Rescuers were deployed on Monday, September 23, to search for missing people after severe flooding and landslides hit central Japan, killing at least seven people, according to local authorities.
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This weekend of September 21 and 22, rivers in the Noto Peninsula (300 km northwest of Tokyo), a region still reeling from a devastating earthquake in January 2024, overflowed, turning into muddy torrents that flooded roads and several localities. The death toll rose from six to seven following torrential rains in Ishikawa Prefecture, the local government announced on its website.
” Unprecedented »
Seven people are still missing, according to the source, who also reported twelve injured. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) described ” torrential rains of unprecedented magnitude ” this weekend. These exceeded 540 mm in the city of Wajima, a port located on the coast of Japanthe heaviest continuous rainfall recorded since data collection began in 1976.
Huge damage was inflicted in areas already damaged by the 7.5 magnitude earthquake on January 1 which killed at least 374 people. As of Monday, September 23, some 3,600 homes remained without power, according to the Hokuriku Electricity Company, and many roads were blocked. In Wajima, one of the towns worst hit by the recent earthquakethe streets are littered with puddles of muddy water and piles of branches.
Rainfall levels reach record highs
Widespread evacuation orders had been issued over the weekend, but residents returned to clear mud and debris. Rainfall levels in Japan have hit record highs in recent years in parts of the country, leading to floods and landslides that have been deadly. Experts say climate change is making these events more frequent, intense and unpredictable.
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