PREVIEW

Japan Floods Leave Six Dead, Many Missing as Region Faces Dual Disasters. Heavy rains caused devastating floods and landslides in Ishikawa, leaving six dead and 10 missing as rivers overflowed and cut off over 100 communities, The Guardian reports. Two people died near a landslide-hit tunnel in Wajima, a city still recovering from January’s earthquake, while others remain missing after being swept away. Floodwaters inundated emergency housing built for those displaced by the New Year's earthquake, which had claimed over 374 lives. Wajima and Suzu saw twice the normal September rainfall, with more than 540mm recorded in 72 hours, marking the region's heaviest continuous rain since data became available. Around 4,000 households were left without power, and many roads were impassable due to floods and landslides, isolating entire communities. Locals described the floods as “heartbreaking,” compounding the hardships caused by the January earthquake, which had already devastated the area. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed officials to coordinate with local authorities and monitor the ongoing damage, with the area still recovering from the previous disaster. Scientists linked the extreme rainfall to climate change, warning that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, increasing the likelihood of severe downpours. Military and rescue workers have been deployed to assist in evacuations and recovery efforts as tens of thousands of residents were urged to leave their homes. Japan’s Meteorological Agency downgraded its warnings but urged continued vigilance, stressing that the rains had reached “unprecedented levels.”
Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT