Japan is ordering many people to evacuate Ishikawa due to the threat of flooding

Tens of thousands of people in four cities in central Japan have been ordered to evacuate after forecasters warned of major flooding caused by heavy rain.

About 18,000 people in the city of Wajima and another 12,000 in Suzu were told to seek shelter in Ishikawa prefecture, on the island of Honshu.

Another 16,000 residents in Niigata and Yamagata prefectures north of Ishikawa were also told to evacuate, AFP news agency said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (Jma) has issued a heavy rain emergency – the highest warning level – for parts of the region.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK quoted government officials as saying 12 rivers had burst their banks.

NHK also broadcast images showing an entire street in Wajima submerged under water.

Three rivers in Ishikawa overflowed in nearby communities, a local official told AFP news agency.

At least one house was hit by the landslide, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said, without giving further details.

Wajima and Suzu, in the center of Japan’s Noto peninsula, were among the worst hit by a massive earthquake on New Year’s Day that killed at least 236 people.

The region is still recovering from the 7.5 magnitude earthquake on New Year’s Day.

More than 161 people were killed by the powerful earthquake that toppled buildings, tore up roads and sparked huge fires.

Japan has seen unprecedented rainfall in parts of the country in recent years, with floods and landslides sometimes causing damage.