Police, firefighters, and Self-Defense Force personnel have launched an intensive search and rescue operation in Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto region following heavy rainfall that caused record-breaking flooding. Families and friends of the missing individuals anxiously watched as rescue teams waded through muddy waters in hopes of finding their loved ones.
The floodwaters swept away several houses in the Futegawamachi district of Wajima, which had already been hit by an earthquake earlier this year. Takaya Kiso, a 42-year-old father, observed as Self-Defense Force personnel and local firefighters searched for his 14-year-old daughter downstream of the Tsukada River on Sunday morning.
It had been a day since Kiso last heard from his oldest daughter, Hanon. She was at home when their house was washed away by the flood. The last communication he had with her was at around 9:50 a.m. on Saturday when she described the dire situation to him via video call.
Hanon informed her father that she couldn’t open her room door or escape through the window due to the surrounding floodwaters resembling a sea. Her mother also spoke with her shortly after but lost contact at 10 a.m.
Kiso made his way through the flooded road to reach their home later in the day only to find that only its foundation remained standing. He called out for Hanon but received no response, prompting him to report her missing to the police immediately.
Hanon is described as bright and intelligent by her father who takes pride in her accomplishments as an art club leader at Wajima Junior High School and consistently high academic performance. She has been diligently preparing for entrance exams for a high school in Kanazawa.
The heavy rain also caused flooding above floor level in nine temporary housing locations housing victims of previous earthquakes in Wajima and Suzu prefectures. Residents who were rebuilding their lives expressed frustration over this setback.
In one instance, knee-deep muddy water filled temporary housing units in Wajima’s Takudamachi district on Sunday morning after nearby rivers overflowed during Saturday’s downpour. Some residents were forced to evacuate to shelters or remain inside their cars throughout the night due to chest-deep water inside their homes.
A 68-year-old woman whose house collapsed during an earthquake spent the night with her husband inside their car after living temporarily since July while waiting for permanent housing options became available again expressed disappointment over having to start anew once more.
