TOKYO (Reuters) – Record rainfall fell on Saturday in central Japan’s Noto region, which was devastated by a massive earthquake in January, prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousands of residents and causing power outages in more than 5,000 homes.
In the city of Wajima, two people were missing and calls for rescue were overwhelming the local fire department, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Hourly rainfall hit a record 121 mm (4.8 inches) on Saturday morning in Wajima, while in neighboring Suzu, 84.5 mm (3.3 inches) fell in one hour, also a record high.
Television footage showed brown floodwaters turning streets into rivers in Wajima, with cars half submerged.
Suzu, Wajima and surrounding areas are still recovering from a 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the region on January 1, killing more than 300 people.