Record Rain Triggers Level 5 Warning in Fukui
Record rainfall caused 19 rivers to overflow across Fukui Prefecture, flooding roads and homes, triggering landslides and temporarily forcing authorities to issue the highest-level heavy rain emergency warning from early Sunday morning. (News On Japan)
Fukui experienced record rainfall, causing 19 rivers to overflow and leading to widespread flooding, landslides, and temporary closures. The highest-level heavy rain emergency warning was issued in Fukui City, Ono, and Katsuyama at 4:30 a.m. on August 30, only to be lifted by 11:40 a.m. Rainfall totals exceeded the average for the entire month of August, reaching 376.5 millimeters in Katsuyama, 343.5 millimeters in Miyama, and 341 millimeters in Harue.
One resident compared the rainfall to issues in neighboring Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures, while another expressed surprise at the severity of the event, having lived in the area for 15 years without such heavy precipitation. Floodwaters covered sections of National Route 8 in Fukui City, leaving vehicles submerged, and inundated homes in various locations.
Two people were injured, including a woman in Sakai who fell into a roadside drainage ditch hidden by floodwater and suffered a broken leg. Authorities urged residents in the Reihoku region to remain vigilant for landslides through early Sunday night. Meanwhile, Typhoon No. 29 (Koguma) posed risks of high waves and strong swells along Japan's Pacific coast, particularly around the Izu Islands and Kanto region.
Japan anticipates a warmer-than-normal winter due to the ongoing El Nino phenomenon, which has reached its strongest level on record.
Written by urgent.news from News On Japan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
