Torrential rain wreaks havoc in Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu. Incessant rainfall triggered landslides that killed at least one person and prompted authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of people on Monday. The authorities also suspended the Sanyo Shinkansen line’s bullet train service between Hiroshima and Hakata stations due to heavy downpour on Sunday.
According to a statement issued by the West Japan Railway Co., the services were stopped around 8.30 am and it took until 1 pm for the section between Hiroshima and Kokura to start running again.
Landslides and flooding
Meanwhile, Japan Meteorological Agency also issued a warning for landslides and flooding in Yamaguchi and other prefectures in the coming days as a rainy season front continues to linger over the island nation.
As per the officials, at least 15 landslides and 20 locations in Izumo were affected by overflowing rivers. The government also added that four districts in the city were isolated because of cut-off roads even though lifelines were unaffected.
Additionally, the director of forecast division at the Japan Meteorological Agency, Satoshi Sugimoto said up to an additional 200 mm of rain is expected to fall in northern Kyushu up to early morning on Tuesday. The Meteorological Agency also said that the highest-level warning for heavy rain was issued in parts of Fukuoka and Oita prefectures.
One woman in her 70s was killed when a landslide hit her house in Fukuoka prefecture, public broadcaster NHK said. Another three people were missing after a landslide hit two homes in Saga prefecture, NHK said.
Heavy rainfall in western Japan
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Izumo in Shimane received 109 millimeters of rain over a six-hour period on Saturday, while Matsue, just across the street, received 95.5 mm of rainfall.
The agency warned against unnecessary travel on Sunday, especially in areas of western, southwestern, and central Japan where thunderstorms are anticipated due to the persistent seasonal rain front, according to Kyodo News.
(With agency inputs)