Search and rescue operations have resumed in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, following heavy rain that caused a disaster in the northern part of the Noto Peninsula. Seven people are currently missing, including two who were likely caught up in the disaster and five others who cannot be contacted. The survival rate for those waiting to be rescued decreases significantly after 72 hours. The search for Kazue Sadahiro, 79, began at 5 a.m. in the Oya district of Suzu, which was cut off from the outside world. The rescue team has increased from around 50 to about 200 members on Tuesday. They are entering wooden houses buried by mud and debris to search for survivors.
In addition to this operation, a team of approximately 520 people is searching for missing individuals in the Futegawa district of Wajima where houses were swept away by flooded Tsukada River. This search is an extension of previous efforts and covers a stretch of over 500 meters along the riverbank. Heavy machinery is being used to clear away debris; however, some areas are too narrow for machinery access so workers must remove debris manually.
Among those being searched for in Wajima is Hanon Kiso, a third-year junior high school student whose last contact was made on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Her classmates and others are anxiously awaiting news as search operations continue downstream from her house.
The prefecture reports that six people have died in Wajima and one person has died in Suzu so far due to this disaster. One person remains missing in Suzu while another is missing in Noto. Four individuals are unaccounted for in Wajima along with one person still missing in Suzu.
As a result of this disaster, communities across 56 areas within 14 districts have been cut off from surrounding areas including Wajima, Suzu, and Noto municipalities. Currently, there are approximately 632 people staying at evacuation centers while over 3,500 households continue to experience power outages and more than 5,000 households lack water due to damaged pipes or loss of power supply.
