25 Dead and 11 Missing Due to Heavy Rain in Kumamoto Prefecture, Southern Japan

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] It has been confirmed that 25 people have died and 11 are missing in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu region in southern Japan, where record-breaking heavy rain caused rivers to overflow and landslides to occur. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported on the 6th that 17 patients are in cardiopulmonary arrest.

According to the report, as of noon that day, evacuation orders were issued for about 254,000 people in Kagoshima and Kumamoto prefectures alone, and about 560,000 people were ordered to evacuate in three prefectures including Miyazaki Prefecture.

Due to the influence of the rainy season front, around Kushima City in Miyazaki Prefecture, about 120mm of rain per hour was recorded until 7:10 a.m. that day. In Kayashi, Kagoshima Prefecture, 109.5mm per hour and in Shibushi, 88mm of heavy rain fell, breaking the Japan Meteorological Agency's record for the highest observed rainfall.

According to Miyazaki Prefecture, landslides caused by the heavy rain led to road closures on national highways, and the Yamano River overflowed in Kagoshima Prefecture. The JR Kyushu line suspended operations all day on the Shinkansen route between Kumamoto and Kagoshima.

The rainy season front is expected to remain stationary from the Tsushima Strait to the Tohoku region from that night until the 7th. The Meteorological Agency forecast localized heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.