Severe Floods Hit Kyushu, Prompting Evacuations

• A tornado in Kyushu prompted the evacuation of over 360,000 people.
• The water level in the rivers significantly rose, causing landslides.
• The Japanese government has created a group to assist the affected.

Tokyo (AP) — On Friday, severe floods hit the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, triggering evacuations and landslides that forced residents to seek refuge. The region has issued the highest alerts.

The landslide in the city of Aira, in the Kagoshima prefecture, buried buildings, claiming the lives of two people, who were rescued and taken to a hospital, reported the Agency for Fire and Disaster Management.

The agency issued evacuation warnings for over 360,000 people in the Kagoshima prefecture and neighboring Miyazaki. Television footage showed muddy water flowing through flooded rivers. In the city of Kirishima, the water level in the commercial center reached alarming heights.

Intense rains disrupted local transport, halting train and bus services. Several dozen routes to and from Kagoshima were canceled. The government’s premier-minister, Seiga Isibi, created an operational group to respond to the emergency situation and support the affected.

The Japanese meteorological agency announced more heavy rains and thunderstorms in Kyushu due to low atmospheric pressure. An official representative of the agency, Shuyita Tachihara, in a national telecast warned about the increasing risk of disasters, urging residents to take safety measures.

Tags: Weather