Japan Battles Devastating Floods Following Record Rainfall, Six Dead

Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture is reeling from deadly floods and landslides triggered by unprecedented rainfall, leaving six people dead and ten others missing. Torrential rains over the weekend caused rivers to overflow, isolating more than 100 communities and cutting off roads across the region.

The affected areas received twice the amount of rainfall typically recorded in September. Among the victims were two individuals found near a landslide-hit tunnel in Wajima, including a construction worker involved in road repairs. Other fatalities included two elderly men and an elderly woman.

The Japan Meteorological Agency had issued its highest-level alert on Saturday, warning of life-threatening conditions in Ishikawa, which was downgraded on Sunday. However, authorities cautioned that heavy rains would likely persist until midday Monday, urging continued vigilance.

Floodwaters have inundated temporary housing built for residents displaced by a devastating earthquake earlier this year. Some 40,000 residents in cities such as Wajima, Suzu, and Noto have been evacuated, while thousands more in neighboring Niigata and Yamagata prefectures were also advised to leave their homes. Power outages have affected over 4,000 households, compounding the challenges faced by the region still recovering from a massive earthquake in January.