Japan asks around 2mn citizens to seek safe shelter as rain triggers flood & landslides

As scientists issue warnings of floods and landslides due to "unprecedented levels" of heavy rain in Japan, authorities have urged nearly 2 million people to seek shelter in safer places. The authorities have issued immediate evacuation alerts in seven regions, including the northern parts of Kyushu island. The announcements come after the Japanese Meteorological Department predicted torrential downpours and mudslides in Kyushu, Hiroshima and other eastward parts of Japan.

About 2 million people were asked to leave homes as rains continue to trigger flood-like situations. About 1.8 million were urged to vacate their residence under a non-compulsory alert, public broadcaster NHK reported. Meanwhile, the Land Ministry of Japan has issued warnings in over 300 municipalities across the country.

Death toll continues to rise in Japan's flood

As many as 50 people were reported dead on Sunday, August 15 as torrential rains flooded the Kurume Prefecture, Fukuoka and other parts of Japan. Downpours continued to pelt vast areas in Okaya City where about three people were declared dead and five others missing after a viscous mudslide drowned houses. Another two were rescued by rescue workers from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

On Friday, two more were reported to be dead, two others severely injured and two more missing in two separate mudslides in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Dead bodies of two septuagenarians were also found floating in the drain by rescue workers. At least a dozen more people were reported missing from several southwestern districts of Japan. Among the victims were 14 elderly residents of a nursing home that was swept away by a mudslide. Another 76-year-old man was informed missing in Kumamoto after he tried to anchor his fishing boat amidst the swelling rain as per reports.

Rescue workers continue evacuation in the flood-hit archipelago

Rescue workers in southern Japan continued to evacuate residents from their homes on Tuesday. More than a thousand army soldiers, police, firefighters and disaster management rescue workers have been deployed to ensure a safe evacuation of the residents from the flood-hit areas, Japanese authorities told AP. However, the heavy rain has hindered rescue operations in the riverside towns along the Kuma River. Meanwhile, adding to the woes of the rescue workers, the Japan weather Department informed that the conditions are sure to deteriorate in the coming days. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to remain over Honshu for the next week, Japan MET added.

Although the country's worst-affected regions witnessed lesser rains on Sunday, more rain was predicted on Sunday night. Following this, the local authorities have issued the highest-level disaster alert for parts of Kyushu and Hiroshima. Meanwhile, heavy rains dumped in the southwest part of Japan since last week have washed away more than 500 homes, authorities informed.

About 23 people were killed in a wave of landslides in Atami in the last month. Four people are still registered as missing. Additionally, the 2018 flood and landslides also killed more than 200 people in western Japan.

With inputs from AP

Image: AP