Floods leave one dead, many missing in quake-hit area of Japan

At least one person was killed and several others missing after torrential rains caused flooding in a northern Japan coastal region still recovering from a deadly earthquake that struck at the start of this year.

Japan’s weather agency issued its highest-level warning on Saturday morning for heavy rains in Ishikawa prefecture, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of Tokyo. The amount of daily rainfall reached 330 millimeters (13 inches) in the city of Wajima and 249 mm in Suzu, the highest tally for the area since the agency began recording data.

The two cities were some of the hardest hit by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day, and killed about 400 people. Some of the evacuation centers still in use after the quake were affected by Saturday’s torrential rains.

The weather agency said heavy rains are expected to continue through Sunday and could affect a wider area to the northeast. Some bullet train services to the region were suspended and highways closed due to the rains and flooding, Kyodo News reported.

Video from the region showed floodwaters sweeping through the area that partially submerged numerous buildings. The Land Ministry said 16 rivers experienced flooding in the prefecture Saturday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi at a news briefing urged vigilance against landslides and river flooding. He said the government has dispatched Self-Defense Forces troops to the areas for rescue operations.

National broadcaster NHK reported at least one person was killed and three others were missing. Separately, the Land Ministry said four workers conducting quake-recovery efforts were unaccounted for after a landslide struck a tunnel where they had been dispatched.

More than 6,000 households are experiencing power outages as of 5:25 p.m., according to Hokuriku Electric. Mobile carriers, including KDDI Corp., NTT Docomo Inc. and SoftBank Corp., reported that their services are disrupted in some areas.