Heavy Rains and Floods Strike Japan's Honshu Island Near Nagoya
Torrential rains on Japan's Honshu island have caused severe floods and mudslides around Nagoya, prompting the highest-level emergency alert. No casualties are reported, but tourists are advised to avoid the area.
Heavy rains on Honshu, Japan's main island, have triggered a series of floods and mudslides, primarily around the city of Nagoya, located about 100 kilometers from the capital, Tokyo. No casualties have been reported so far, but tourists have been advised to stay away from the area.
The Nagoya City Hall issued its highest-level emergency alert due to heavy rain and flooding on Tuesday evening, as videos of flooded roads and buildings circulated on social media. The warning, issued for parts of Chikusa Ward, Moriyama Ward, and Meito Ward, noted a significantly increased risk of flooding in the rivers flowing through the city.
A Level 5 warning urges residents to evaluate their surroundings and move to the safest possible location, such as a nearby tall building or the second floor or higher in their homes. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that torrential rains falling within an hour up to 4:53 PM reached a peak of 104.5 millimeters in the city.
Residents were warned not to linger in underground areas, as drainage systems are unable to cope with the relentless pace of the rain, and there is a risk of water rushing into underground passages, underground shopping centers, and underground parking lots.
Images posted on social media showed cars driving on roads with the water line rising up to their doors in the city. The local public broadcaster, NHK, also reported that underground passages and other areas in the city's Minato Ward were flooded, forcing people to abandon their vehicles. Authorities told the public broadcaster that all vehicle occupants managed to escape on their own and that no one was trapped.
