Heavy Rain Hits Wide Areas of Japan

Tokyo, Sept. 9 (Jiji Press)–Heavy rain struck areas stretching from the Tohoku northeastern region to the Chugoku and Shikoku western regions of Japan on Wednesday morning due to the impact of a weather front and a tropical cyclone near Shikoku. The front is forecast to move south over the Pacific off eastern and western Japan on Thursday. The Japan Meteorological Agency urged people in affected areas to remain on high alert for landslides, flooding of low-lying areas and swollen rivers as well as lightning strikes and wind gusts. The highest Level 5 emergency overflow warning issued for the Shonai River, which flows through Aichi and Gifu prefectures in central Japan, at 6:20 p.m. Tuesday was lifted at 12:40 a.m. Wednesday. In Aichi, one person was slightly injured in Nagoya, the capital of the prefecture, and two others in the city of Kitanagoya as of 7 a.m. Wednesday. A house was partially damaged, while 16 and 27 houses were flooded above and below floor level, respectively. In Nagoya, about 200 vehicles were flooded and unable to move. In Aoi Ward of the city of Shizuoka, the capital of the namesake prefecture east of Aichi, 267.0 millimeters of rain fell in the 24 hours to 10:20 a.m. Wednesday, while Nagoya’s Chikusa Ward recorded 219.5 millimeters in the 24 hours to 1:20 a.m. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]