Unprecedented Flooding: Japan’s Utterly Devastated Region

“The recent floods in Japan’s Ishikawa coastal area bring fresh devastation, already reeling from an earthquake disaster. Discover the urgent efforts to find the missing and support communities grappling with life-threatening floods and infrastructure damage.”

Japan’s Ishikawa coastal area is undergoing yet another disaster, still recovering from a recent and deadly earthquake just earlier this year. The recently heavy rain has resulted in flooding and mudslides throughout the area and resulted in one confirmed death, and seven missing.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has escalated the alert level to the highest level for the area and cautioned that conditions are “life-threatening.” The heavy rain is still continuing, with forecasted alerts throughout the weekend through Sunday, with overflowing rivers, and tens of thousands fleeing the area.

Among the missing seven are two swept away by fast river currents, and four who reportedly were performing road repair work on a road partially destroyed by the earthquake earlier this year. The rain has been “unprecedented” for the region with, for example, Wajima recording the highest recorded rainfall there.

The flooding caused substantial infrastructure damage: water-covered roads, and residences disconnected from services. Many residents are returning home to vacant homes, without power or electricity services.

Government ordered evacuations have been put into place in many cities and prefectures. Many efforts are undertaking paramedics and volunteers to evacuate people from damaged areas and harder hit areas which had been from prior damage from the earthquake that took place earlier this year, that was devastatingly destructive.

As the area is still reeling from the destruction from the earlier earthquake, flooding and rushed rain damage is, grossly taxing communities in both areas. Rescue personnel are seeking the missing, and all still working for assistance from the rain damage.