Japan flooding 2018

1. 1
Japan Flooding 2018 Death Toll Rises To 200 And 44 Missing
DEVASTATINGfloodsandlandslidesinJapanhave killed200 people inthe country’sworstweather
disasterin36 years - butwhy isthe deathtoll so highand whendidthe torrential rainsfirst hit?
Thu, Jul 12, 2018
Rainfall Effects:
The JapanMeteorological Agencysaidthree hoursof rainfall inone areainKochi
prefecture reachedanaccumulated26.3 centimeters(10.4inches),the highestsince such records
startedin1976.
The rain startedto pouron Thursdayand pickedupFriday.Overthe weekend,parts
of Japanreceivedbetween300 to 500 millimeters(12to 20 inches) of rain,withprefecturesof
Hiroshima,Okayama,andHyogoinundatedwithmore than500 millimeters.
Some citieswere completelyinundatedinamatterof hours.
Japanese publicbroadcasterNHKreportedabout364 millimeters(14.3inches) of rainfell between5
a.m.and 7 a.m.Sundayin Uwajima -- approximately1.5timesthe average monthlyrainfallforJuly.
The Fire and DisasterManagementAgencysaidbySaturdaymorning,more than1.6millionpeople had
beenorderedtoevacuate theirhomes. A further3.1millionmore were advisedtoleave.

2. 2
Rescue Efforts:
More than 70,000 rescue workersare scouringthroughdebrisandmudin a bidto
findpeople whoare still missing. "Rescues,savinglivesandevacuationsare arace againsttime,"Mr Abe
saidas he metwitha governmentcrisiscell setuptorespondtothe disaster.
"There are still manypeoplewhose safetyhasyettobe confirmed,"he added.
As rescue effortscontinued,watershortagesalsoimpactedlocal hospitals,withreportsof delayed
surgeriesanddialysispatientshavingtobe transferredinordertoundergotreatment.
The governmentsenttrucksof waterto the disasterareas,butfearswere growingthatsurvivorswere
not receivingenoughfluidsinthe soaringsummerheatdue totightsupplies.
Why have somany people died?
Extreme downpours:
The deadly flooding began on July 5 and was caused by unprecedented heavy
rain at the end of June, worsened by Typhoon Prapiroon, which made landfall on July 3.
Disasterexpertsare nowwarningclimate change couldfuel more torrential raininthe future.
Takashi Okuma,an emeritusprofessoratNiigataUniversitywhostudiesdisasters,said:“The
governmentisjuststartingtorealize thatitneedstotake stepsto mitigate the impactof global
warming.” Many of the communitieshitwereinmountainslopesandfloodplainspreviouslyuntouched
by heavyrainfall butdozensof people were killedinasimilardisasterlastyear.
Chief CabinetSecretaryYoshihide Sugatoldanewsconference inTokyo."It'sanundeniablefactthat
thissort of disasterdue to torrential,unprecedentedrainisbecomingmore frequentinrecentyears.”

3. 3
Search Of Survivors:
The prefecturesof HiroshimaandOkayamahave beenthe worst
affectedbyfloodingandlandslips,triggeredbytorrential rainsonFridayandSaturday.
Several towns inthe regionhave reported more than23 inchesof rainin the space of 18 hours, causing
riversto bursttheirbanks, inundatinglow-lyingareasanddestabilisinghillsides. The townof Umaji,in
Kochi Prefecture,recordedmore than47 inchesof raininthe space of 72 hours.
Landslideshave causeddevastationinmountaincommunities,destroyinghomes,roadsandrailways.At
the heightof the crisis,two millionpeople were toldtoevacuate theirhomesandtake shelterin
communitycentres,schoolsandhospitals.
Top governmentspokesmanYoshihideSugasaidTuesdaythat at least141 people hadbeenkilled.Suga
said73,000 police,firemenandtroopswere taking part inthe rescue effort,with700 helicopters
deployedtohelp.
In Kumano,soldiersandotheremergencyworkerswere usingdiggersto clear crushedcars and
mangledhomes,andchainsawsto cut up tree trunks.
But theywere movingcarefully,lookingas theywentfor survivors,or the remainsof those killedinthe
disaster.
In one part of Kumano,the nose of a white car was justvisible underneaththe topfloorof a home that
had beentorn from the rest of the buildingandsweptdowna hillside.
Water was still flowingfromthe surroundinghillsidesaroundthe feetof shellshockedresidents,some
of whomweptas they sawtheir damageddistrict.
In neighbouringOkayamaprefecture,rescue workersflewinhelicoptersoverareasthat are still
submergedand otherwise unreachable,lookingforsignsof life.
"As far as we could see from the helicopter,no-one isnow wavingforhelp,"a rescue workerfrom
Kurashiki citytoldAFP.

4. 4
Local governmentofficialssaidpumpingtruckswere beingdeployedtohelprestore accessto some of
the worst-hitareas,and on Monday floodwaterwas finallystartingto recede as the rains stopped.
Landslide Risk:
Evenas the rains letup, authoritieswarnedthe downpourshadloosened earthonhillsidesand
mountainslopescreatingnewrisks.
"We urge residentstoremaincautiousabout possible landslides,"aweatheragencyofficial toldAFP.
Andwith manypeople stuckin modestlyequippedshelterswithfew possessions,orlivingindamaged
homeswithno runningwater or electricity,the risingtemperaturesposedanew problem, authorities
said.
At one pointaround five millionpeople were toldtoevacuate,butthe ordersare not mandatory and
many people remainedathome,becomingtrappedbyrapidlyrisingwateror suddenlandslides.

5. 5
Industry:
By 7 Julyno bullettrains were runningwestof Shin-OsakaStation andthe West
JapanRailwayCompany officialswere uncertainwhenthe trainswouldbe runningagain.[21]
The
widespreadcancellationof trainsstrandednumeroustravelers;some bullettrainswere utilizedas
temporaryhotels.[20]
Some automakers(Mitsubishi Motors &Mazda Motor) haltedproductionasthe
rain andfloodingdisruptedthe companies'supplychainsandriskedthe safetyof workers.[19]
Other
companiessuchas DaihatsuandPanasonicsuspendedoperationsatplantsuntil debriswasclearedand
the waterrecededfromthe factories.[15]
The Asahi AluminiumIndustrialCompanyplant
inOkayama explodedonJuly6,afterworkershadevacuatedduringthe flooding.