An expert says debris from landslides caused by a massive earthquake on New Year’s Day in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, may have contributed to extensive damage along a river following last week’s record rains.
Ishikawa Yoshiharu is a professor emeritus at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. He compared satellite images recorded on Tuesday after the deluge with those captured immediately after the January 1 quake.
The images were taken by geospatial information company Pasco.
Ishikawa found that massive amounts of mud and debris from landslides in the upper part of the Tsukada River in Wajima City had apparently flowed downstream during the heavy rains.
He says this may have contributed to the damage caused by the river overflowing its banks.
Several houses along the river were swept away.
Also in Wajima City, traces of multiple landslides were detected along a 1.5-kilometer stretch of a local road near the Nakaya Tunnel where two men were lost their lives.
Ishikawa says the slopes that collapsed in the earthquake are believed to have collapsed on a larger scale because of the recent heavy rainfall.
He says similar phenomenon could occur in the area during another spell of heavy rain. He points out that loosened slopes could easily collapse, and urges residents to evacuate early.