Heavy rain and flooding in north-central Japan strands people and vehicles

Torrential rain has struck Japan’s north-central prefectures of Ishikawa and Toyama

TOKYO -- Torrential rain struck Japan’s north-central prefectures of Ishikawa and Toyama on Thursday, triggering flooding and landslides, closing roads and stranding people in flooded homes and vehicles.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the Level 5 heavy rain warning for parts of the Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, urging residents in the affected areas to take precautionary measures against possible flooding and landslides.

The rain subsided later Thursday and the agency downgraded the heavy rain warning to medium, but cautioned residents that more rain and landslides are possible through Friday morning.

The agency predicted up to 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) of rain in the Kaga and Noto areas through Friday morning. The two prefectures advised more than 380,000 people to take shelter on safer grounds.

Footage on NHK public television showed several stranded residents in Himi city in the Toyama prefecture being rescued on a rubber boat by relief workers who waded through knee-high waters. A number of vehicles that had stalled in flooded roads were abandoned.

In neighboring Ishikawa prefecture, west of Toyama, 270 homes in three municipalities were isolated due to flooding, though officials said there were no reports of injuries among the stranded residents. Heavy rain also triggered landslides and closed roads in Ishikawa.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said several rivers overflowed in the two prefectures, flooding many homes without reported injuries.

The severe weather caused power outages at more than 1,000 homes in Toyama and Ishikawa, according to the Hokuriku Electric Power Co.

Heavy rain and widespread flooding earlier this month in the Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, left 13 people dead.