Sep 11, 2015

Two days of torrential rain caused flooding and landslides across much of Japan this week. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said three people died, including a woman in her 60s who was found after a landslide hit houses in Kanuma city, and a woman in her 40s who was in a car that washed away in Kurihara city. A man in his 20s died after falling into a drainage ditch in Nikko city.

Some 190 miles north of Joso, another river overflowed into the city of Osaki on Friday morning, swamping homes and fields and stranding at least 60 people, according to media reports.

But the hardest-hit place appeared to be Joso, 30 miles northeast of Tokyo. The fast-rising waters in the city of 60,000 people led to a series of dramatic rescues by helicopters on Thursday.

Police and other emergency workers fanned out the next morning to search for the missing, while helicopters and boats brought in more of the stranded. More than 280 people have been airlifted out since the serious flooding began.

City officials said 22 people were missing after they had lost contact with them following requests for rescue. Three others were injured, one seriously. More than 3,500 people were staying in schools, community centers and other buildings converted to evacuation centers.

: A woman walks towards a collapsed house on a field inundated by floodwaters in Joso in Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Jiji japan outjiji press)

: A residential area along the Kinugawa river, right, in Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, is inundated shortly before noon on Thursday. (Japan News/Yomiuri photo).

: Members of a local fire brigade stand on a flooded street as they watch a rescue operation by helicopters in Joso city in Ibaraki prefecture, north of Tokyo on September 10, 2015. A Japanese city was flooded when a raging river burst its banks, washing away homes and cars as desperate residents pleaded for help, after tens of thousands were ordered to flee their homes following torrential rains. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: Rescue workers transport evacuees in a rubber boat through floodwaters at Oyama in Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo on September 10, 2015. Authorities in central Japan ordered tens of thousands to flee their homes after torrential rains flooded rivers and triggered landslides, with one person missing after a mudslide buried houses. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued special downpour warnings for Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures, north of Tokyo, urging vigilance against mudslides and flooding. (AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

: A hotel building falls into the floodwaters at Nikko mountain resort in Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo on September 10, 2015. Authorities in central Japan ordered tens of thousands to flee their homes after torrential rains flooded rivers and triggered landslides, with one person missing after a mudslide buried houses. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued special downpour warnings for Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures, north of Tokyo, urging vigilance against mudslides and flooding. (AFP Photo/Jiji japan outjiji press)

: Military servicemen hold dogs during a mission to evacuate people from the roof of a flooded shopping center via helicopter in Joso city, Ibaraki prefecture, on September 11, 2015. A 2,000-strong team joined rescue operations on september 11 as hundreds of people were trapped with 12 missing in Japan after torrential rains triggered massive floods, deluging a city north of Tokyo. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: This picture shows a vehicle submerged in a flooded paddy field in Joso city, Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: A local resident is rescued by a helicopter of the Gound Self Defense Force in a flooded area in Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, on September 10, 2015. The Japanese city 50 km north east of Tokyo was flooded when Kinugawa river burst its banks, destroying homes and cars as desperate residents waited for help, and as thousands of people were ordered to evacuate. (AFP Photo/P /jiji )

: Floodwaters from the burst Kinugawa river (L) flow into a residential area (R) in Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, on September 10, 2015. The Japanese city 50 km north east of Tokyo was flooded when Kinugawa river burst its banks, destroying homes and cars as desperate residents waited for help, and as thousands of people were ordered to evacuate. (AFP Photo/P /jiji )

: Residents walk on a flooded street after leaving a shelter in the city of Joso in Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: A man attempts to clear muddy floodwaters from a launderette in the city of Joso in Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: This picture shows a collapsed house in a flooded paddy field in Joso city, Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: A house is damaged after floods hit Joso, Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 11, 2015. The sun came out a day after a raging river washed away houses and forced people to rooftops as dozens of residents were airlifted out by military helicopters Friday morning after waiting overnight in the city. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

: Local residents are rescued from their flooded home by a helicopter of the Ground Self Defence Force in Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, on September 10, 2015. The Japanese city 50 km north east of Tokyo was flooded when Kinugawa river burst its banks, destroying homes and cars as desperate residents waited for help, and as thousands of people were ordered to evacuate. (AFP Photo/P /jiji )

: A man walks through floodwaters after an embankment of the Kinugawa river collapsed in Joso city in Ibaraki prefecture, north of Tokyo on September 10, 2015. A Japanese city was flooded when a raging river burst its banks, washing away homes and cars as desperate residents pleaded for help, after tens of thousands were ordered to flee their homes following torrential rains. (AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

: Police officers walk through floodwaters to search for evacuees in Oyama, Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo on September 10, 2015. Authorities in central Japan ordered tens of thousands to flee their homes after torrential rains flooded rivers and triggered landslides, with one person missing after a mudslide buried houses. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued special downpour warnings for Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures, north of Tokyo, urging vigilance against mudslides and flooding. (AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

: Floodwaters flow from the burst Kinugawa river (top) into a residential area (bottom) in Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, on September 10, 2015. The Japanese city 50 km north east of Tokyo was flooded when Kinugawa river burst its banks, destroying homes and cars as desperate residents waited for help, and as thousands of people were ordered to evacuate. (AFP Photo/P /jiji )

: Military servicemen tug a boat as they head to a flooded shopping center to rescue people in Joso city, Ibaraki prefecture, on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: A military helicopter arrives before landing on the roof of a flooded shopping center to rescue people in Joso city, Ibaraki prefecture, on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: A military helicopter flies over a flooded street during a rescue mission in the city of Joso in Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: A man is helped by a military rescue worker (L) on a flooded street in the city of Joso in Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

: A family is evacuated by boat over floodwaters in the city of Joso in Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Jiji japan outjiji press)

: People stand near a flooded area in the city of Joso in Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Jiji japan outjiji press)

: A man walks on a road covered by flood waters in the city of Joso in Ibaraki prefecture on September 11, 2015, a day after an embankment of the Kinugawa river collapsed. Thousands of rescuers arrived in a deluged city north of Tokyo on September 11 to help evacuate hundreds of trapped residents and search for 12 people missing after torrential rains triggered massive flooding. (AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

: A rescuer and local residents walk through floodwaters from the burst Shibuigawa river in Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture, on September 11, 2015. Disastrous floods left three dead and dozens missing, authorities said as thousands of rescuers were deployed to evacuate trapped residents. (AFP Photo/P /jiji )

: People walk through a flooded street in Joso, Ibaraki prefecture, north of Tokyo, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015. Raging floodwaters broke through a flood berm Thursday and swamped the city north of Tokyo, washing away houses, forcing dozens of people to rooftops to await helicopter rescues. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

: Greenhouses are submerged in the flood water from the swollen Kinugawa River in Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, north of Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 11, 2015. Houses lean forward, knocked partially off their foundations. The worst-hit are gone, their still-intact blue-tiled roofs left sitting on debris-strewn mud. The floodwaters have receded somewhat, but a vast area of the Japanese city of Joso remains inundated by a sea of brown water. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Torrential rain causes flooding and landslides in Japan

Leave a Reply Cancel