TOKYO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Torrential rain continued on Thursday in the Hokuriku region on the Sea of Japan coast, the weather agency said, warning some regions could face heavy rainfall through Friday.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said Kanazawa City in Ishikawa prefecture logged a record-high 148 millimeters of rainfall in three hours ending at around 5 a.m. local time.
Overnight, a record 218 millimeters of rain fell in a six-hour period in Ishikawa prefecture, which is more than the average monthly rainfall for August, the JMA said.
Some houses in Kanazawa City saw flooding below floor levels, while roads in at least 19 locations were inundated, according to the local government.
Damp and warm air is flowing toward a weather front extending from a low-pressure system, making atmospheric conditions extremely unstable across a wide area from northern to western Japan, weather officials said.
Rainfalls in 24 hours through 6 a.m. local time on Friday are expected to reach up to 150 millimeters in the Tohoku region, north of Hokuriku, and in the northern part of Kyushu in southwestern Japan, while Hokuriku is forecast to receive 120 millimeters.
The JMA urged people to stay alert for landslides and flooding in low-lying areas and swollen rivers. ■
