More than 100,000 people have been urged to take safety measures as torrential rain battered parts of north-central Japan, triggering widespread flooding, landslides and dangerous road conditions.
Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures have been among the worst-affected areas, with authorities warning residents to protect themselves as rivers overflowed and floodwaters spread across communities.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level emergency warning for five municipalities, warning that the extreme rainfall had created a serious risk of disasters already occurring in affected areas.
Rainfall breaks records as rivers overflow
Some areas recorded extraordinary amounts of rainfall. More than 320mm was measured in the cities of Himi and Hakui, while Hodatsushimizu received around 230mm.
The rainfall totals broke local records, according to NHK World, while residents faced overflowing rivers, flooded homes and multiple landslides.
Around 180,000 people were urged to take safety measures as the severe weather continued, with authorities warning residents in affected areas to remain alert.
Several vehicles were also submerged by floodwaters. Despite the scale of the flooding, there had been no reports of casualties at the time of reporting.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said a weather front extending eastwards from the Sea of Japan was expected to move southwards, raising concerns that further areas could experience heavy rainfall.
Neighbouring Niigata Prefecture was also affected by the intense rain, adding to the disruption across the region.
Rescuers save people trapped in flooded cars
The flooding has created particularly dangerous conditions on roads, with water levels rising rapidly in several locations.
Ten rivers in Ishikawa were reported to have flooded, while some levees were breached. Authorities in the prefecture said rescuers had already carried out at least two operations involving people trapped inside submerged vehicles.
Landslides also blocked roads in the region, leaving around 270 households stranded as transportation routes became inaccessible.
The extreme weather has also disrupted essential infrastructure.
Hokuriku Electric Power Transmission & Distribution reported that more than 1,000 households were without electricity at around 4.30pm on Aug. 27. The figure had fallen by roughly half compared with an earlier report that day, suggesting restoration work was already underway.
With roads blocked and rivers overflowing, emergency responders have been working amid challenging conditions as authorities assess the damage and monitor areas at risk of further flooding or landslides.
Residents in affected communities have been urged to follow evacuation instructions and prioritise their safety as the weather system moves through the region.
The situation remains closely monitored as Japan deals with one of the most severe bouts of rainfall to hit the affected areas in recent times.