Photo taken July 4, 2020, shows an inundated street in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 4, 2020, after torrential rain in southwestern Japan. [6], The Kuma River overran its bank in eleven different locations and breached one levee. Companies including Toyota, Canon, and Panasonic temporarily halted production in the area as a precaution for employee safety. A fireman clears mud from a house that was destroyed by flooding on July 6, 2020 in Kuma, Japan. July 5. Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. This aerial photo shows the flooded area caused by the swollen Chikugo River, not seen in photo, in Kurume city, Fukuoka prefecture, southern Japan Wednesday, July 8, 2020… The staff was unable to rescue the deceased residents after water broke through the windows and the patients floated off the tables. [10], Changing of rain-fall distribution in Kumamoto Prefecture You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. [19] These measures follow recommendations created the previous month in June when government officials anticipated a possible "double disaster" of flooding and disease transmission. The rescue personnel managed to rescue residents who had made it up to the second floor but were unable to reach those left below. [13][4] On 5 July 2020, it was reported that 40,000 Self-Defense troops, Coast Guard sailors, and firemen were deployed in the rescue operation. I honestly never imagined it could be so powerful.“, A man said: “The smell of the river and the muddy water was intense. More than 200,000 people were urged to evacuate their homes in Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures following torrential rain on 03 and 04 July. At 5 AM, local time (UTC+9) the Japan Meteorological Agency raised its heavy rain warning to its highest level of 3 in many parts of the prefectures, the first time it has ever done so for these areas. Government sends 10,000 troops to southwest of the country where extreme levels of rain have been recorded, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Flooding in Kyushu has forced about 3 million residents to evacuate. In Ashikita, six people were unaccounted for and a seventh was seriously injured, Kumamoto officials said. The event is officially referred to as Reiwa ni-nen shichi-gatsu gōu (令和２年７月豪雨, "Heavy rain of July, Reiwa 2") by the Japan Meteorological Agency. [3], A dike was breached near the town of Hitoyoshi, normally known for its hot springs and boating, which was flooded by the Kuma River. You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. Pounding rain that already caused deadly floods in southern Japan was moving northeast Wednesday, battering large areas of Japan’s main island, … Japan Self-Defense Force (SDF) carry out flood rescues in Kuma, Kumamoto, Japan, July 2020. [18] However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, in a statement on 6 July, said he did not expect major supply chain disruptions. 55 Dead, a Dozen Missing in Japan Floods . At least 15 people in Japan are feared dead, nine are missing and one person was seriously injured on Saturday after unprecedented heavy rain fell overnight triggering floods and landslides. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. The government said it was sending some 10,000 Defence Force personnel to the region. Severe flooding in Jakarta that's left swaths of the capital underwater has killed at least 30 people and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, according to Indonesia's disaster agency. Record heavy rain in Japan has triggered massive floods and landslides, forcing authorities to issue evacuation orders for more than 76,000 residents Japan flooding: Fourteen dead in flooded care home - BBC News People rest at a temporary evacuation center in the flood-ravaged city of Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on July 6, 2020, after deadly torrential rain. [14] In Kuma, Kumamoto, stranded residents were rescued by a rescue helicopter. At its peak the rain was estimated to be falling at 100mm (4 inches) per hour at times and in some parts of the country record rainfall was measured with up to 381mm (15 inches) over six hours. (time is shown on the bottom left), https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200716/k10012518671000.html, "Severe Flooding in Southern Japan Swamps Nursing Home", "Kuma River floods cities after record rainfall", "1 dead, 15 feared dead, 9 missing in rain, floods in southwest Japan", "Many feared dead in flooded Japanese care home", "Japan floods leave up to 34 dead, many at nursing homes", "Rescuers battle to reach thousands trapped by floods in Kyushu", "Japan boosts rescue efforts as it warns of more rain in flood-hit areas", "Japan Warns of More Flooding as Toll Reaches at Least 44; Several Others Missing", "Male nurse racked by guilt at failure to save elderly residents", "Heavy rain floods southern Japan, leaving many presumed dead, several missing", "Southwestern Japan hit by more heavy rain as death toll rises to 49", "Japanese rafters paddle against the floods amid torrential Kyushu rains", "At least 53 dead as torrential rains and floodwaters hit Kyushu", "Deadly Japan floods halt factories across industrial base Kyushu", "Local gov'ts fret over coronavirus spread at shelters after torrential rain", "Japan Braces for Double Disaster of Covid Outbreaks at Flooding Shelters", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2020_Kyushu_floods&oldid=992924093, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 15,335 houses destroyed, damaged or flooded; 11 bridges destroyed, This page was last edited on 7 December 2020, at 20:58. Heavy rains moved through parts of southern Japan on Saturday, leaving many houses, buildings and vehicles submerged. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Areas are inundated in muddy waters that gushed out from the Kuma River in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto prefecture, southwestern Japan, Saturday, July 4, … About 8,000 homes in Kumamoto and neighboring Kagoshima were without electricity, according to the Kyushu Electric Power Co. 2020 Kyushu floods, at least fifteen dead in flooding in the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, since the 2018 Japan floods. Some evacuees chose to take refuge in their cars, while others stayed with friends. The death toll from floods and landslides unleashed by torrential rains on Japan's southern island of Kyushu has risen to 20, with 14 people missing, according to public broadcaster NHK. (Kyodo) Yukinobu Katsueda, chief priest at a Buddhist temple in Kuma, said, "I heard an enormous sound of water gushing in the middle of the night. [6][7] Kumamoto governor Ikuo Kabashima stated that scores were stranded after mud and floodwater gushed into the old age home. More than 75,000 residents were urged to evacuate. Authorities received over 100 rescue calls but could not respond to all of them immediately, NHK - Japan's national broadcaster - said. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? July 8, 2020 For more than a week, Japan has been battered by floods driven by torrential rains, spurring widespread evacuations and the deaths of … • Photos: Deadly Flooding in Japan, The Atlantic, 8 July 2020. Local residents and bereaved family members of victims held gatherings Monday to mark the second anniversary of massive flooding and mudslides triggered by torrential rain in western Japan that claimed 296 lives. [10], Evacuees and local officials raised concerns regarding emergency shelter given the simultaneously ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Its course begins in the mountain range in Kyushu, and runs through Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto; Kuma, Kumamoto; and Yatsushiro, Kumamoto before it discharges into the Yatsushiro Sea. [13] 203,200 residents were instructed to shelter in place, and 109 shelters were opened in the region. One of three major rapids in Japan, the Kuma is a 115-kilometer-long (71 mi) class A river. [2] Fourteen of the victims were residents of an old age home in Kuma, Kumamoto that was flooded. [7] In Tsunagi, Kumamoto, 2–3 people were pulled out of a landslide without signs of life. [8] On 7 July, the number of deployed SDF troops was doubled to 80,000. Japanese … TV broadcasts showed footage of houses swept away by mudslides in the city of Ashikita, and cars submerged to their windows and residential areas swamped beneath muddy water in the city of Hitoyoshi. Last year, Typhoon Hagibis killed nearly 100 people, a year after more than 200 died in western Japan in the worst flooding in decades. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. Filed under floods , japan , mudslide , natural disasters , 7/6/20 Share this article: Coronavirus fear drives Japanese flooding victims to seek shelter in cars. [13] Another 6,100 houses were estimated to be submerged, 11 bridges destroyed[15] and 4,700 buildings destroyed, damaged or flooded. [13] Eight homes were swept away in Ashikita, Kumamoto. By Lucy Craft July 9, 2020 / 6:58 AM / CBS News People clean up the … The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government would work closely with the prefectural governments to assess damage and aid recovery “while putting lives as their highest priority.”, He added: “There’s a possibility that heavy rain will continuously fall on the Kyushu region through (Sunday), so we must maintain our vigilance at the highest level.”, One woman told NHK: “It wasn't like normal rain. July 8, 2020 at 7:46 p.m. UTC Torrential, record-breaking rainstorms have deluged southern and central Japan since Friday, killing at least 58 … On the first floor, when water came into the building, they placed residents with wheelchairs on top of tables in the dining room. [8] According to the staff at the home, they roused residents at 5 a.m. and shuffled them upstairs. [8], As of 9 July 2020, 60 people are confirmed dead and approximately a dozen are reported missing. [19][21], Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered the creation of a special task force, dispatched 10,000 Japan Self-Defense Forces troops to the area, and vowed to rescue the missing. # Carl Court / Getty Read more; An aerial … [9] According to Kyodo News, 1.3 million people were ordered to evacuate their homes and there were 12 different landslide events. Rescuers are searching for 14 people missing after floods hit the Kumamoto region on Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu About 34 people are either confirmed or … According to AP, in the Tsunagimachi district, two of three people buried underneath mudslides were pulled out without vital signs. July 7, 2020 KOJI HARADA/KYODO NEWS VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS A man walked on a heavily damaged road following heavy rain in Kumamura, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan … Emergency services in western Japan were "racing against time" Tuesday to rescue people stranded by devastating floods and landslides that … [10], Fourteen of the dead were residents in a flooded old age home in Kuma, Kumamoto. TOKYO (Reuters) - The death toll from floods and landslides unleashed by torrential rains on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu rose to 20 on Sunday, with 14 people missing, NHK public TV said. Collection of 23 photos of flood damage. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued a Level 5 alert for floods and landslides, its highest warning, for rain “never seen” before — the first time it has ever issued such an alert for the two prefectures, the Japan Times reports. I could feel the vibrations from the churning water through the road next to the riverbank.”. Tokyo (AP) -- Pounding rain that already caused deadly floods in southern Japan was moving northeast Wednesday, battering large areas of … [4], The Kuma River basin had previously flooded in 1965. Flooding also cut off power and communication lines. In the mountainous village of Kuma, residents stranded at their homes were being airlifted by a rescue helicopter. [17], The flooding has also disrupted economic activity in Kyushu, an important manufacturing area in Japan. Deep floodwaters and the risk of more mudslides that left at least 34 people confirmed or presumed dead hampered search and rescue operations Sunday in southern Japan, … Flooding and mudslides have left as many as 50 people confirmed or presumed dead or missing in southern Japan. Japan is bracing for more heavy rain after a weekend of flooding left at least 37 people dead. [7] The rate of rainfall exceeded 100 millimeters (3.9 in) per hour. [5], On 4 July 2020, heavy rain caused flooding in the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Fourteen of those known to have died were reportedly residents in the same care home. Rescuers were still searching for the third person. [3], Typhoons, storms, and heavy flooding have hit Japan hard in the years prior to 2020. More than 40,000 rescue workers in the south-west were still … Volunteers from the local rafting association in Hitoyoshi used their rafts to rescue stranded residents in the flooded town. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Japan faces flooding and mudslides, with more than a dozen people presumed dead. Japan floods leave dozens dead, including nursing home residents ... Sun 5 Jul 2020 05.57 EDT First published on Sat 4 Jul 2020 07.42 EDT. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. [4] According to a rescue volunteer, when they reached the old age home, the water was still on the first-floor level. The floods are Japan’s worst natural disaster since Typhoon Hagibis killed about 90 people in October. Create a commenting name to join the debate, There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts, There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. These climate events have killed hundreds of people, and expert analysis has stated global warming is a contributing cause. Are you sure you want to mark this comment as inappropriate? At least 17 people in Hitoyoshi died. Dozens of people were left stranded on rooftops and more than 75,000 people were urged to evacuate from the Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures in western Japan, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) southwest of Tokyo, following the rain. [6] The Japan Meteorological Agency stated the amount of rain was record-breaking for the region and was never seen before. Read our full mailing list consent terms here. [1] As a result of flooding and landslides, 77 people were confirmed dead (includes 1 death due to cardiopulmonary arrest) and approximately seven are missing. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued a Level 5 alert for floods and landslides, ... An aerial view of the floods in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto prefecture, southwestern Japan, 4 July 2020 ... As floods … It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. AMDA Emergency Relief #5: Flood Disaster in Kyushu, Japan (13 July 2020) [13] Some 8,000 homes were left without power in Kumamoto and Kagoshima according to the Kyushu Electric Power Company. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? In Hitoyoshi city, rescuers transported some residents in a boat. An aerial view of the floods in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto prefecture, southwestern Japan, 4 July 2020, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, ‘Unprecedented rainfall’ in Japan leaves at least 15 dead, Heatwaves have become longer and more frequent since 1950s, Global warming 'could cause mass die-off of tropical plants by 2070', 150 years of industrialisation reverses 6,000 years of global cooling, UK summers ‘could regularly hit 40C by end of century’, You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification. Jul 25, 2020 The Meteorological Agency is warning that floods and landslides might hit western and eastern Japan this weekend as a rain front and … The 2020 Kyushu floods were a series of floods in July 2020 brought on record-breaking heavy rain hit the prefectures of Kumamoto and Kagoshima on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu on 4 July 2020 in the middle of the East Asian rainy season. Men walk past cars upended by recent floods in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto prefecture on July 10, 2020, after heavy rains and flooding devastated the region. Approximately 15,335 buildings have been destroyed, damaged or flooded. [19][20] Evacuees arriving at shelters had their temperatures checked, or were asked to go elsewhere so that social distancing could be maintained. [11][12], Following overnight rains, authorities instructed more than 75,000 residents to evacuate in the prefectures of Kumamoto and Kagoshima. (Kyodo) Kyushu Electric Power Co. said about 4,000 homes in the prefecture continued to be without electricity as of Monday afternoon. Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. [17], On 7 July, Japanese authorities warned that further heavy rains are expected in Kyushu. [16][6][13], On the morning of 7 July, the Chikugo River overflowed in Hita, Ōita leading authorities to issue the highest level alert to residents. The mountainous terrain of Japan places it at risk for flooding and landslides. 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