Parts of northern Japan have been hit by torrential rains on Friday, August 9, 2013. The floods in the region have swept away at least eight houses and at least one person died. The local fire department said that a 91-year-old woman died in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture after a landslide.
There were also reports that three women were rescued from their houses in Senboku, Akita Prefecture and one of them is in critical condition. Many locals are still missing and the police are trying their best to confirm their whereabouts. The local weather agency appealed to people to take immediate action in order to protect their lives and to head towards an evacuation center.
The agency has also warned people to stay in a safe place inside their home if it is difficult to get out. Members of 16 households have been asked to evacuate due to fears of a landslide. Even the city of Kazuno in Akita has issued a similar notice to some 1,120 households, due to a river’s rising water level.
Bullet train services on the Akita Shinkasen Line have been partially suspended. In an hour, Kazuno recorded 108.5 mm of rainfall and about 300 mm of rain has fallen since the morning.
Photo Credits: Japan Times
