Level 5 emergency alert issued after devastating floods hit Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture
Heavy torrential rains struck the Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan on Friday and Saturday, September 20 and 21, 2024, leading to severe flooding in the region, and prompting the highest level of flood alert. Wajima City recorded 318.5 mm (12.5 inches) of rainfall between Friday and Saturday, while Suzu recorded 226 mm (8.9 inches) of rain within the same period. One person was killed and more than 10 remain missing, as of 12:00 UTC today.
Image credit: Disaster News
- Torrential rains in Ishikawa Prefecture led to severe flooding and landslides, prompting evacuation orders for more than 46 000 people and causing significant infrastructure damage.
- Wajima recorded more than 120 mm (4.72 inches) of rain per hour on Saturday morning (local time) — the heaviest rain since records there began.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a Level 5 emergency warning, while rescue teams and Self-Defense Forces were deployed to assist residents.
- At least one person was killed and more than 10 remain missing, as of 12:00 UTC on September 21.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a Level 5 emergency warning on Saturday following unprecedented torrential rains that hit Ishikawa Prefecture on Friday and Saturday, leading to severe flooding across the region and triggering landslides in some areas.
More than 120 mm (4.72 inches) of rain per hour was registered in Wajima city, Ishikawa’s Noto region on Saturday morning (local time) — the heaviest rain since records there began.
Wajima recorded 318.5 mm (12.5 inches) of rain between Friday evening and Saturday noon (LT), while Suzu saw 226 mm (8.9 inches), prompting evacuation orders for roughly 46 000 citizens in the affected region. Around 18 000 people in Wajima, 12 000 in Suzu, and 16 000 in the Niigata and Yamagata prefectures have been told to evacuate and seek shelter.
“The amount of rain in these cities and towns is unprecedented,” said Yoshimasa Hayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary. “Multiple rivers have overflowed their banks, and many buildings have been flooded,” he added.
Prefectural authorities reported that one person was killed in Suzu. In Wajima, 10 people are missing, according to the city’s mayor. The fire department in the prefecture’s northern area stated that three people are missing after being swept away by rivers in Suzu, Wajima, and Noto, the three municipalities where the warning was issued.
The fire department received several calls for help from Wajima, Suzu, and other areas. Reports of landslides and collapsed houses were also received, with rescuers searching for anyone who might be trapped. The Self-Defense Forces (SDF) have been deployed in the region to assist in rescue operations.
According to officials, around 12 rivers breached their banks on Saturday. State broadcaster NHK aired footage of a street in Wajima completely submerged by floodwaters. At least one house was hit by a landslide, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, but no further details have been provided.
Approximately 6 000 households in Ishikawa experienced power outages due to the flooding, while weather officials have urged people to exercise maximum caution as flooding and potential mudslides could be life-threatening.
“Even in places not usually considered prone to disasters, we are urging the highest level of caution,” JMA official Satoshi Sugimoto said in a news conference, adding that the warning could also be issued for other areas as rains continue. “If you wait until a special warning is issued to evacuate, it could be too late,” he added.
The region was impacted by a devastating M7.6 earthquake on January 1, which claimed over 280 lives and damaged at least 80 000 buildings.
References:
1 ‘Unprecedented’ rains in quake-hit Ishikawa leave at least one dead – The Japan Times – September 21, 2024
2 Japan orders mass evacuation over flooding threat – BBC – September 21, 2024
3 Japan orders thousands to evacuate quake-hit region as rains trigger floods – Al Jazeera – September 21, 2024
4 1 dead, 10 missing as heavy rain pounds quake-hit Noto area – Japan Today – September 21, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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