Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading

Heavy rain hits northern Japan, 200,000 urged to evacuate

Omaki Bridge, which connects to the town of Iide, Yamagata Prefecture, collapsed after a river flooded. ©AFP

Tokyo (AFP) - Bridges collapsed and rivers burst their banks as heavy rain lashed northern Japan on Thursday, with 200,000 residents urged to evacuate as authorities warned of dangerous flooding.

TV footage showed a muddy mass of broken trees swept into a mountainous residential area by the downpours, which broke records in some areas.

Two people have been reported missing, top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.

Authorities have warned of an increased risk of landslides and floods.

Public broadcaster NHK said non-compulsory evacuation advisories were issued to 200,000 residents in five regions: Niigata, Yamagata, Fukushima, Ishikawa and Fukui.

Other TV footage showed homes flooded by an overflowing river and another muddy waterway reaching the height of a bridge.

Some shinkansen bullet trains were suspended in the affected areas.

Scientists say climate change is intensifying the risk of heavy rain in Japan and elsewhere, because a warmer atmosphere holds more water.

Strong rain in 2021 triggered a devastating landslide in the central resort town of Atami that killed 27 people.

And in 2018, floods and landslides killed more than 200 people in western Japan during the country's annual rainy season.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.