This Japanese region is still recovering from a deadly earthquake. Now record rains have flooded its streets
Story by Lex Harvey and Yumi Asada, photo curation by Tristen Rouse, CNN
(CNN) — Record rainfall has brought deadly flooding and landslides to a coastal region of Japan still recovering from a devastating New Year’s Day earthquake.
Japan’s weather agency issued its highest emergency warning for Ishikawa prefecture Saturday, urging residents to take extreme precautions in what it said is the heaviest rainfall the region has ever experienced.
The torrential downpour caused 16 rivers in the area to breach their banks, according to public broadcaster NHK.
At least six people were killed, several are missing and tens of thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate, NHK reported, citing local authorities.
One person was killed in the city of Suzu after their home was swallowed by a landslide, NHK reported. In the city of Wajima, two bodies were found near a tunnel following a landslide and two women were found dead in a house also impacted by landslides, according to NHK. A man pulled from a river was also confirmed dead, it said.
Four workers doing earthquake restoration work in Wajima city are missing, possibly caught up in a landslide, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
The storm also cut power to more than 6,200 households, authorities said.
Ishikawa endured destruction and misery on January 1, when a powerful 7.5 magnitude quake struck the Noto peninsula, killing hundreds of people and causing widespread destruction.
Temporary housing built for people who lost their homes in the quake was surrounded by several feet of murky floodwater on the weekend, photos showed. Earthquakes make soil unstable and prone to further landslides, especially after heavy rains.
The weather agency downgraded its warning level Sunday, but asked residents to remain on high alert.
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This story has been updated with additional information. CNN’s Hanako Montgomery contributed reporting.
