Torrential rain soaked the region, which was still rebuilding after January’s 7.5-magnitude quake.
At least six are confirmed dead on Japan’s Noto Peninsula following floods that struck an area still recovering from a significant earthquake nine months ago.
Torrential rain hit the area at the weekend. The city of Wajima recorded over 540 millimeters (21 inches) of rain in 72 hours, the heaviest continuous rain available in comparative statistics.
The region was still trying to recover from a magnitude-7.5 quake on January 1, which toppled buildings, triggered landslides, and sparked a massive fire.
At least nine persons were confirmed dead, though the body toll is likely to rise as search and rescue teams scour the badly damaged zone in Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, The Japan Times and public broadcaster NHK reported Monday.
The six known dead included five in Wajima and one in neighboring Suzu, NHK reported.
NHK reported that at least eight people were missing or unaccounted for, including a 14-year-old junior high schoolgirl.
Floodwater overwhelmed emergency housing provided for those who lost their homes in the earthquake, which left at least 374 people dead, according to the Ishikawa regional government. Some of those missing were workers on quake-related construction projects.
