Weather tracker: Extreme rainfall deluges Japan and South Korea
Unprecedented downpours cause deaths, evacuations and transport chaos. Plus, Hurricane Lala batters Hawaii South Korea and Japan were hit by extreme rainfall late last week and into this week. On 13 August in the city of Chiba near Tokyo there was a record-breaking 115mm of rainfall in just one hour, while the nearby city of Sakura broke its own record with 97mm in one hour. A level five…
Extreme rainfall has recently plagued Japan and South Korea, resulting in numerous casualties, evacuations, and disruptions to transportation. In late July and early August, the region witnessed a series of heavy downpours.
On August 13, Chiba, a city near Tokyo, experienced an unprecedented 115mm of rainfall within a single hour. The neighboring city of Sakura set a new record with 97mm of rain in just one hour.
Local authorities issued a level five emergency warning for heavy rain, the highest alert level, and the first of its kind since the system was established in May. The warnings were prompted by the alarming intensity of the rainfall.
In response to the extreme weather conditions, over 100,000 households were forced to evacuate their homes. In the Chiba prefecture alone, more than 20,000 households were left without electricity. Additionally, thousands of individuals were stranded at Tokyo’s Narita airport due to the severe weather.
Altogether, thirteen people have been confirmed dead as a result of the extreme rainfall. At least three of the fatalities occurred when individuals were trapped inside their vehicles. The situation remains dire, with one person still missing and feared to be among the casualties.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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