Torrential rains caused floods and landslides on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu yesterday, killing at least two people and prompting authorities to issue a rare emergency warning and evacuation orders for nearly 850,000 people.
One man was killed when his car was washed away in Saga Prefecture, where some areas were hit by more than 100 millimeters of rainfall in an hour, public broadcaster NHK said.
Another man in Fukuoka Prefecture died after being swept away as he got out of his car, media said.
A woman in Saga was found without vital signs after her car fell into a waterway, NHK reported.
Television footage showed roads and railroad stations inundated and people wading knee-deep in flooded streets after several rivers broke their banks.
CLOSURES
Toyota Motor Corp said it would suspend work yesterday evening at a factory in Kyushu that builds Lexus cars, while Daihatsu Motor also said it would stop work at factories in the region.
The Japan Meteorological Agency raised its alert for parts of northern Kyushu to 5 — the highest level — amid torrential downpours only seen once in a few decades.
A level-5 warning is issued “if there is a significant likelihood of catastrophes.”
“There are many reports of damage in different areas due to flooding of rivers, landslides, and submerged houses, and there is a possibility of serious damage occurring in the coming hours,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said it had received multiple reports of flooded houses in Saga and Nagasaki prefectures.
“We are seeing unprecedented levels of heavy rains in cities where we issued special warnings,” meteorological agency spokesman Yasushi Kajiwara told reporters.
“It is a situation where you should do your best to protect your lives,” he said.
He also urged those living in areas currently under evacuation advisories to act quickly.
RESCUES
In Saga, a mother wearing a life vest in a rescue boat told NHK she had been saved from the floodwaters.
“I was so scared as I have a little child. I’m worried there could be worse damage because there’s an ongoing power outage,” she said.
Elsewhere, a man in a shelter in Saga said he was sleeping as the floodwater entered his home.
“When I woke up, water surged to my feet,” he told NHK. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s important to evacuate early.”
The weather also disrupted transport in Nagasaki, forcing the suspension of some train services and some road closures.
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