The deluge triggered flooding in nearly two dozen rivers and caused landslides. In the coastal cities of Wajima and Suzu, located in the Noto Peninsula, rainfall reached about 500 millimeters and 400 millimeters respectively over a 48-hour period, doubling the average September precipitation.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that even a small amount of additional rainfall could increase the risk of landslides, as the ground in some areas has already been weakened by the January earthquake.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, currently abroad, has directed government officials to monitor the situation and respond to local needs closely. The region is still in the process of rebuilding from the magnitude-7.6 earthquake that struck on Jan. 1, which caused more than 370 deaths.
Rescue and restoration efforts are ongoing, with particular focus on a landslide-hit tunnel in Wajima where two fatalities were confirmed. The tunnel, which suffered significant damage in the January quake, was undergoing repairs when the disaster struck.
