Flooding in Japan

Landslides and flooding caused by record rainfall in the Ishikawa region of Japan caused the death of at least six residents, with ten people still missing. 

          The towns of Wajima and Suzu, which took the biggest hit earlier this year by a devastating Earthquake, suffered another major natural disaster on September 22nd. 

Rainfall exceeded over 21 inches in 72 hours and left many towns cut off from others with rivers overflowing and bridges collapsing.  

Both Wajima and Suzu received more than twice the amount of average rainfall for September, multiple local reports said. 

In an interview with The Guardian, Wajima resident Akemi Yamashita said the flood came out of nowhere. 

“Within only 30 minutes or so, water gushed into the street and quickly rose to half the height of my car,” Yamashita said.    

These floods are the second major disaster to hit this region of Japan in just this year, with at least 374 people dead from the 7.5 magnitude Earthquake on January 1st.  

The earthquake caused tsunami waves, turned buildings to rubble and fire spread throughout the area.

 “I have to start over, through another cold winter," Shoichi Miyakoshi, a former sushi chef in the area, told AFP. 

Miyakoshi is no stranger to natural disasters as his wife was killed in 2007 after an Earthquake in Japan.  

Much of the United States is not aware of these disasters in Japan. They are glanced over in the media here, while they are active signs of climate change and weather records in Japan. Despite the widespread devastation, many Newtown residents had not heard of this disaster.

“I haven't heard about it, but I think it is disturbing how these disastrous storms continue to destroy communities worldwide. I hope that with time, the affected people will be able to rebuild their communities and fix the damages,” NHS sophomore Caleigh Ward said. 

As of September 23rd, over 3,700 households in Wajima are left with no power or electricity.     

“It makes me feel sad because there were lives lost and they are living with no power for so long,” NHS sophomore Maddie Britton said.