As Kyushu island experienced record rainfall, rivers overflowed and hillsides gave way.
Kurume experienced its wettest day ever on Monday with 402.5mm of rain dropping there, according to the national weather bureau.
As further rain was anticipated, many were advised to evacuate and roads and powerlines were damaged.
The downpours, according to Satoshi Sugimoto of the Japanese Meteorological Agency, were “the heaviest ever experienced” in the area.
According to AFP news agency, at least three people killed in the flooding, but the number may increase. In some of the most isolated parts of the island, three people were reported missing.
Mr. Matsuno remarked, “We convey our condolences to the families of the deceased, and our deepest sympathies to those who were touched by the accident.
According to him, the downpours forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate, and outlying settlements are still effectively blocked off due to flooding and other damage.
Local authorities in Soeda, Fukuoka Province, reported that an elderly woman perished after becoming trapped inside a mud-filled home. Her spouse lived. Another victim, who was in a car near Kurume, reportedly had their bodies washed away by a flooded river.
Currently, Japan is experiencing its yearly rainy season, which frequently delivers torrential downpours, occasionally causes flooding and landslides, as well as fatalities.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency reports that on October 12, 2019, Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, experienced the highest rainfall ever recorded in Japan, with 922.5mm falling in a single day.
Because a warmer atmosphere stores more water, scientists claim that climate change is increasing the probability of heavy rain in Japan and worldwide.
Before the intense downpours that hit Sunday night, the weather agency reported that it had been pouring for more than a week in the area.
Although the sun was out in many places on Tuesday, forecasters have cautioned that additional rain might cause already soggy soils to become more brittle.
Homes are frequently constructed on lowlands at the base of mountains in the mountainous nation of Japan, increasing the risk of landslides during periods of severe rainfall.
Leave a Reply