100,000 carp swept away by flooding in Chiba after typhoon

CHIBA, Japan - Approximately 100,000 Nishikigoi ornamental carp, ready for sale, were swept away following heavy rains from Typhoon Dujuan causing levee breaches at a lake in Chiba Prefecture, according to recent reports. The incident occurred after the typhoon approached the region about a week ago, inundating rice paddies and other farmland, as well as facilities where carp and eels were being cultivated near Lake Imbanuma.

Local aquafarm owner Kenji Tani, who had prepared around 100,000 carp for sales initially set for Sunday, lost all but 200 to 300 after his facilities were flooded. Tani expressed concern over the levees and the need for an urgent restoration, emphasizing that their farm was unprepared for another typhoon's impact. Nishikigoi, popular globally, especially in China and Southeast Asia, experienced a significant rise in exports to around 10 billion yen ($63 million) over the past five years.

Damage assessments in Chiba alone estimate losses at roughly 87 million yen at the onset of investigations, a further blow to residents who have faced similar calamities recently. Previous downpours in August and early September caused damage worth 8.22 billion yen in 33 municipalities and another 230 million yen in 17 municipalities, respectively.

Meanwhile, a strawberry farm in Kimitsu also suffered from overflowing river waters, with about 10 to 20 percent of seedlings impacted. Strawberry farmer Nobuyuki Watanabe, 48, had previously appealed to the local government to address the issue due to the river's history of flooding. He expressed concern that if no action is taken, he might be the last in his family to run the business.