Heavy rain pounds northcentral Japan leaving 1 person dead and several others missing

TOKYO (AP) — Heavy rain pounded Japan’s northcentral region of Noto on Saturday which triggered landslides and floods and left one person dead and several missing, officials said.

The deluges caused swollen rivers to overflow, flooding homes and stranding some residents in the region still recovering from the deadly Jan. 1 earthquake.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the highest level of heavy rain across several cities in the Ishikawa prefecture, including hard-hit cities Suzu and Wajima on the northern coast of the Noto peninsula.

In Suzu, one person died and another was missing after being swept in floodwaters. One other went missing in the nearby town of Noto, according to the prefecture.

In Wajima, four people were missing following a landslide at a construction site. They were among 60 construction workers repairing a tunnel damaged by January’s quake, NHK said, adding that one other was missing due to floods at a different location in the city.

NHK footage at a coastal area of Wajima showed a wooden house torn and tilted after it was apparently hit by a landslide from a steep hill, with muddy water still flowing down. No injuries were reported from the site.

In Noto town, two people were seriously injured while visiting their quake-damaged home when a landslide struck them.

At least 16 rivers in Ishikawa breached their banks as of Saturday afternoon, according to the Land and Infrastructure Ministry. Residents were urged to use maximum caution against possible mudslides and building damage.

By late afternoon Saturday, about 1,350 residents were taking shelter at designated community centers, school gymnasiums and other town facilities, authorities said.

Up to 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) of rainfall is predicted