Cloud bursts in Japan cause flooding and landslides
After heavy rainfalls in Japan, four people have gone missing. The rain showers triggered landslides and floods, as the disaster control announced. Traffic connections were disrupted. Thousands of residents were ordered to seek shelter in safe areas. In some cities, up to 100 liters of rain per square meter fell in just one hour on Thursday.
In the city of Shinjo in the Yamagata Prefecture, two policemen went missing after reporting that they had been carried away by floodwaters from their patrol car. The authorities reported that a police car, half-filled with water, was found near a swollen river.
Search and rescue teams in Akita were looking for an 86-year-old man, whose bicycle and helmet were found floating in a river. Another person disappeared after being hit by a landslide at a construction site. Rescue teams in the city of Yokote evacuated 11 people using a boat. Thirty-seven people were stranded in an overflowing nursing home in Shinjo.
The Shinkansen high-speed railway lines in Yamagata, according to the East Japan Railway Company, were still partially disrupted. The Japanese Meteorological Agency predicted additional rainfalls of up to 200 liters per square meter in the region until Friday evening.
Cloud bubbles formed in the air as the weather cleared temporarily, offering a brief respite before another round of rain. The floodwaters covered an area of approximately 1000 square meters in a local park, submerging various plants and trees. The government allocated funds for emergency repairs andclean-up, estimating damages to exceed 10 million liters.
