Japan: Evacuation order in Akita due to heavy flooding July 23

Event

Authorities have ordered the evacuation of areas of Akita prefecture on Sunday, July 23 as a result of flooding and risk of mudslides caused by heavy rainfall. Some 25,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, and 65,000 others advised to leave or told to prepare to leave the area. Several rivers have already flooded in the prefecture. Disruption to travel should be expected; some bullet trains running to and from Akita have been suspended. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued heavy rain and flood warnings for the northern prefectures of Akita, Iwate, Aomori, Niigata, and Ishikawa, with a risk of landslides.

Context

The Japanese archipelago is strongly affected by the annual Pacific Typhoon Season, which runs from May to October with a peak of storms in August and September. Earlier in July, Tropical Cyclone Nanmadol brought torrential rains and substantial flooding that caused infrastructural damage and left 34 dead in the southern prefectures of Fukuoka and Oita.

Advice

Individuals present in affected areas are advised to follow local weather forecasts and to adhere to any advice issued by the regional authorities (e.g. potential evacuation orders). In the event of flooding, keep in mind that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult - and that floodwater may contain wastewater or chemical products.