Japan Shizuoka 'Landslide'... Mountain Development Increased Damage

▲Scene of the landslide that occurred on the 3rd in the Izusan area of Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Claims have been raised that the scale of damage from the landslide that occurred on the 3rd in the Izusan area of Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, was exacerbated by hillside development.

On the 5th, major Japanese media outlets such as Asahi Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun reported that the site where the Shizuoka Prefecture landslide began was a residential land development area where trees had been cut down and an estimated 54,000㎡ of soil had been piled up, according to an announcement made the previous day.

Shizuoka Prefecture estimated that the damage worsened due to the collapse of soil and earth, including the soil piled up as a result of development activities.

Heita Kawakatsu, Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, explained, "The causal relationship between the development activities and the landslide is not clear," adding, "Verification is necessary."

The origin of the landslide is a valley-shaped area between residential land and a solar power facility, showing signs of logging.

Due to record-breaking heavy rain centered on Shizuoka and Kanagawa Prefectures caused by the rainy season front, the death toll from this landslide has risen to three. It was additionally confirmed the previous day that an elderly woman who was transported to the hospital had died.

The number of houses damaged by the landslide is at least 130. Atami City confirmed that 34 of the 147 residents whose whereabouts were unknown are safe. Efforts are underway to confirm the whereabouts of the remaining 113 people.

Twenty-three residents have been rescued from the damaged houses and other locations.

Atami City initially reported about 20 missing persons, but Kyodo News reported that the scope of the search was expanded due to difficulties in accurately grasping the situation.

Police, fire departments, and the Ground Self-Defense Force are conducting search and rescue operations in the landslide-affected areas, but intermittent rain and concerns about additional landslides are making it difficult to speed up the efforts.

Heavy rain and landslide warnings have not yet been lifted in Atami City, and as of the morning of the day, 562 residents are taking refuge in two hotels in the city.

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