At least six dead as torrential rains trigger widespread flooding in Japan
Tokyo, Aug 14
At least six people have died after torrential rains lashed eastern Japan from Thursday into early Friday, triggering widespread flooding, local media reported. Japan's weather agency issued its highest Level 5 heavy rain warning for more than one-third of the municipalities in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, as authorities remained on alert amid worsening weather conditions.
A man seen on a submerged road in Ichikawa was confirmed dead. A woman (66) died after she was trapped in a car on a flooded road in Sakura, the prefectural government said, Japan-based Kyodo News reported.
Police said a man was confirmed dead after he was found unresponsive on a flooded road in Chiba Prefecture, while a man found collapsed in Sakura had also died, according to the prefectural government's statement on Friday. Later, two people were confirmed dead, Chiba prefectural police said. Transportation was disrupted due to rains in Chiba and several parts of Tokyo, resulting in commuters being stranded on roads, according to the report. About 1,800 people gathered in a government building in the prefecture, which was made available for stranded commuters.
The authorities in Chiba, Ichikawa and other municipalities urged people to take safety measures while flooding occurred across the prefecture, resulting in traffic jams on roads. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a Level 5 warning for several places in the prefecture, including Chiba and Ichihara on Thursday. However, all the warnings were downgraded on Friday morning.
Evacuation orders were issued for over 400,000 people in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
As of 11 am (local time) on Friday, the evacuation orders remained in effect for around 102,600 people in Chiba prefecture, the agency said. The Cabinet Office stated that more than 200 evacuation centres were established in Chiba, Ibaraki, Saitama and Gunma prefectures, Kyodo News reported.
Power outages at one point impacted around 45,000 homes in Chiba prefecture, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc's subsidiary.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Heartbreaking! Japan is known for its excellent disaster preparedness, yet nature's fury can be overwhelming. The fact that 400,000 people were evacuated shows how serious this was. I appreciate how they opened government buildings for stranded commuters - that's a very thoughtful approach. India can definitely learn from Japan's community-centric disaster response.
This is a wake-up call for all countries. Climate change is real! In India too, we keep seeing unpredictable rainfall patterns. It's good that Japan's Level 5 warning system works effectively. But I wish they had more preventive infrastructure. 45,000 homes without power is enormous. Still, Jai Japan for resilience! Stay strong.
So sad! And people were simply stranded on roads, some died in their cars. This shows even the most advanced countries struggle with sudden extreme weather. As someone from Mumbai who has seen floods during monsoon, I can relate to this situation. The chaos in a city when waterlogging happens is unimaginable. Condolences to those affected. 🌧️
This is so devastating. From an international perspective, Japan usually has such robust infrastructure and early warning systems, yet still suffered tragic losses. I hope the authorities review the preparedness and work on making the urban drainage systems better for future events. Prayers for everyone affected.
Very unfortunate. While it's so good to see that evacuation centers were set up so quickly (200+, wow), it's concerning that still 6 people lost their lives. Japan's disaster management is top-notch, but maybe the rainfall was just too intense. This is an effect of
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