Special heavy rain warning issued for areas in Ishikawa, Toyama prefectures

TOKYO - Japan’s weather agency issued a special heavy rain warning on Aug 27 for some areas in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures in central Japan, with roads flooded, a river in danger of overflowing and residents warned to evacuate or take immediate steps to ensure their safety amid life-threatening conditions.The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a Level 5 warning, the highest warning for heavy rain, indicating that a disaster has likely occurred or is imminent, for municipalities including Himi in Toyama Prefecture and Hakui, Shika, Hodatsushimizu, and Nakanoto in Ishikawa Prefecture.In Himi, a man in his 50s who is part of a local firefighting corps, told Kyodo News over the phone that a river had overflowed and that several cars were submerged.There were no reports of injuries so far, according to the Ishikawa prefectural government.The residents were urged to heed local authorities’ evacuation advisories and remain vigilant against landslides. Around 180,000 people in five municipalities in the two prefectures were urged to take the safety measures.With a high possibility that Oyabe River was flooded, residents had been urged to evacuate.The agency said it expects heavy rain to continue in the two prefectures and other parts in the Hokuriku region on the Sea of Japan coast through Aug 28.Over a 24-hour period through noon Aug 28, the agency is expecting up to 200mm of rain in Hokuriku and up to 150mm for the Kanto-Koshin and Tokai regions.Heavy rain has also hit Niigata Prefecture neighboring Toyama.Authorities have issued a Level 4 landslide warning for Itoigawa, cautioning residents in areas under alert to find safety in case of landslides. KYODO NEWS