Japan floods indicative of climate change causing erratic rain patterns, warn scientists

As torrential rains continue to trigger floods in wide areas of southwestern Japan, Scientists have warned that climate change may lead to unpredictable rain patterns in many parts of the world. They have also predicted chances of heavy to very heavy rains due to a warmer atmosphere that holds more water. The Japan Meteorological Agency has termed recent rainfall levels as "unprecedented" as they have damaged homes, disrupted transportation and caused a landslide in the southern part of the country. It also alerted of heavy rain and mudslide warnings in the Kyushu region to other parts of Japan, including Hiroshima, as the rain front slowly moved eastward. While in the whole of 2020, the Ureshino town, located in the Saga prefecture, had experienced about 3.3 metres of rain, it has about one metre of rain in just four days. 

Highest-level disaster alert issued for Kyushu and Hiroshima 

Although the country's worst-affected regions witnessed lesser rains on Sunday, more rain was predicted on Sunday night. Meanwhile, local authorities have issued the highest-level disaster alert for parts of Kyushu and Hiroshima, affecting about 1.4 million people, though evacuation is not compulsory.  Chairing an emergency cabinet meeting, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said that the loosening of ground soil in many areas may lead to large-scale disasters at any time. He also warned of severe rain in many areas across the nation and urged residents to exercise caution and stay in shelters.  

Landslide warnings issued in 372 municipalities 

The Land ministry of Japan informed that landslide warnings have been issued in 372 municipalities across the country after almost a quarter of them were in Nagasaki. The disaster management agency said that dozens of people in flooded areas in the southern Kyushu region, as well as Hiroshima, had been rescued. It is to be noted here that at least 23 people were killed last month when a wave of landslides devasted the central resort town of Atami. Heavy rain has been dumped across south-western Japan since last week, with more than 500 homes around the country damaged, the disaster management agency said.  In 2018, floods and landslides killed more than 200 people in western Japan during the country’s annual rainy season.

Image Credits: AP