Japan Issues Evacuation Orders Amid Torrential Rains
(MENAFN) Intense rainfall sweeping through southwestern Japan on Sunday forced widespread evacuations, raising the threat of landslides and severe flooding, media reported.
By 9:00 p.m. local time (1200 GMT), officials in Karatsu, located on the southern island of Kyushu, ordered 113,117 residents from more than 51,000 households to evacuate. The Level 4 emergency directive was issued in response to escalating landslide hazards brought on by relentless downpours.
At 8:55 p.m. (1155 GMT), the city of Hita, also located on Kyushu, escalated the emergency to a Level 5 alert — the highest tier on the disaster warning scale — affecting 23,756 residents in nearly 11,000 households across six districts. The alert signaled an imminent threat, prompting officials to urge residents to evacuate to safer locations, including upper floors of buildings, nearby reinforced structures, or areas distant from hillsides.
Rainfall reached alarming levels across the region. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that by 9:50 p.m. (1250 GMT), approximately 110 millimeters (4.3 inches) had fallen within a single hour near Tamana and Kikuchi, both situated on Kyushu. The agency issued an urgent warning, stating there was imminent danger, and advised the public to prioritize safety.
The extreme weather also impacted transport infrastructure. Rail services suffered significant disruption, with media confirming that heavy rains triggered a full-day suspension of bullet train operations between Hiroshima and Hakata stations on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line.
Authorities remained on high alert as torrential rain continued to batter northern Kyushu, southwestern Fukuoka, and western Yamaguchi. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned residents of ongoing risks, including potential landslides and flooding.
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