Woman found dead in submerged car in Japan amid record rainfall
Heavy rainfall hit eastern Japan and elsewhere on Monday, with the weather agency urging maximum vigilance against landslides on Niijima and Oshima islands, south of Tokyo, and a woman dying in Iwaki in the northeast after her car became submerged. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special landslide warning for Niijima after more than 480mm (19 inches) of rain fell there over 24 hours, the…
Severe storms swept through eastern Japan on Monday, with the Japan Meteorological Agency urging heightened caution against landslides in Niijima and Oshima islands, situated south of Tokyo. Over 24 hours, Niijima received more than 480mm (19 inches) of rain, marking the highest amount recorded since local weather history began.
Simultaneously, eastern Japan, including Tokyo, experienced heavy rain, disrupting train services and prompting some school closures. The weather agency issued a Level 4 landslide alert, the most severe on its five-point scale, for sections of Chiba and Saitama prefectures, neighboring the capital.
Regrettably, a woman in her sixties met her demise after being discovered unresponsive in a submerged car at an underpass in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, as reported by the local fire department. Two individuals sustained minor injuries after being knocked down by falling debris during the intense rainfall in Chiba.
The central government has established a liaison headquarters at the prime minister's office to gauge potential damage and coordinate emergency responses. Additionally, the weather agency anticipates further rainfall in wide areas bordering the Pacific Ocean as warm, moist air advances, following a rain front along Honshu's main island.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
