Deadly Floods and Landslides Hit Japan
Severe flooding and landslides have killed at least 122 people in southwestern Japan. At least 60 people are still missing, with over 10,000 needing emergency housing.
Japanese officials said more than 73,000 emergency workers and troops are involved in search and rescue efforts. Thousands of homes have been without clean water and electricity in the city of Hiroshima and other hard-hit areas.
At one point, as many as 6.3 million people were asked to prepare for evacuation, with about 1.8 million people still subject to evacuation orders. Many who refused to leave their homes were forced to take refuge on roofs or flee to high ground in response to flooding and landslides.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cancelled a planned trip to Europe and the Middle East on Monday to oversee recovery efforts. He has described the rescue efforts as “a race against time.”
Parts of the country experienced up to 10 centimeters of rain per hour - the highest level in decades. The town of Motoyama received over 58 centimeters of rain in a 24-hour period, and Kochi prefecture broke records with 26.3 centimeters in just three hours.
High temperatures following the rains pose a further health risk, as many are still without clean water or electricity to stay cool. About 267,000 households were without water on Monday.
To complicate matters, Typhoon Maria is approaching the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan. Any damage it causes will put more pressure on Japan's rescue and recovery efforts.
Tragedies often highlight the importance of being prepared for natural disasters. Make sure your household has a plan for how to respond in an emergency. It’s wise to have at least a week’s supply of water, food, batteries and other necessities stored in your home.
It’s also a good idea to have a smaller emergency kit to take with you if you need to evacuate your home at short notice. Contact your local government for more details on how best to prepare for a disaster in your area.
