(Update) Emperor, Empress Mourn Flood Victims in Wajima

   Wajima, Ishikawa Pref., Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako bowed to mourn flood victims in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Tuesday.
   On their third trip this year to the Noto Peninsula in the central prefecture to cheer up people afflicted by a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake on Jan. 1 and torrential rain in September, the Imperial couple visited the Futegawa-machi district of Wajima after arriving at Noto Airport aboard a special plane shortly before 11:30 a.m.
   In the district, four people including Hanon Kiso, a 14-year-old third grader at Wajima Junior High School, were killed when the Tsukada River flooded on Sept. 21.
   Following a briefing about the disaster given by Wajima Mayor Shigeru Sakaguchi, the Emperor and Empress looked at the debris- and driftwood-scattered flooded site, and bowed silently toward where houses once stood. Kiso is believed to have been in her home at the time of the flooding.
   They also visited the junior high school, which is now used as an evacuation center for 51 people, leaning down and talking to the evacuees one by one.

(2024/12/17-23:10)