Heavy rains hit Japan, killing one person and leaving two others unaccounted for. Thousands of people were forced to evacuate due to flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Mawar. Six people were seriously injured and 24 suffered minor injuries, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Several rivers burst their banks, causing flooding of roads and homes.
Although many evacuation orders were downgraded as the rains weakened, new warnings were issued in areas close to Tokyo because of the risk of flooding. The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to “be on high alert for landslides, river overflows and flooding in low-lying areas.” Several cities, including Toyohashi and Koshigaya near Tokyo, saw the highest 24-hour rainfall on record.
The Tokyo Electric Power Company reported that about 4,000 households in regions close to Tokyo suffered power outages Saturday morning, but the problem was mostly resolved after a few hours. Shinkansen high-speed trains were temporarily suspended between Tokyo and Nagoya, but Japan Railways said they resumed operation around noon.
Japan often faces flooding because of its geographic location on islands and because much of its territory is in a typhoon zone. Last year, Typhoon Hagibis killed 90 people and left behind huge material losses.
Although Japan has one of the most advanced flood warning systems in the world, it still faces severe consequences of natural disasters. Scientists argue that such natural disasters could become even more frequent and destructive due to climate change.
