Japan Flooding – Update

‘Unprecedented’ rain generates a tsunami-like wall of water in Joso, Japan

State of Emergency has been declared in Joso city [population: 67,000] in Ibraki Prefecture, about 60km north of Tokyo, as a tsunami -like wall of water buried the low-lying areas.

Tropical storm ETAU, having dumped about 500mm of rain over large areas of central Japan, passed over the country’s main island of Honshu into Japan Sea on Thursday; however, heavy rain is forecast to continue over Japan’s northeastern coast, including parts of Hokkaido island.

Another storm is chasing ETAU and is forecast to also track toward Japan’s northeastern coast, and Hokkaido.

Meanwhile, contaminated water at Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant has leaked into the Pacific Ocean after heavy rains overwhelmed the plant’s drainage pumps, said a spokesperson at Tokyo Electric Company (TEPCO).

Related Links

• Powerful Tornado Destroys Dozens of Homes in Chiba, Japan September 7, 2015
• Mass Evacuations Ordered near Tokyo amid Major Flooding September 10, 2015

Powerful Tornado Destroys Dozens of Homes in Chiba, Japan

Tornado tears through central Japan

A powerful tornado tore through central Japan, destroying or damaging more than 100 homes and injuring about a dozen people in Chiba city, near Tokyo.

The tornado reportedly uprooted scores of utility posts, and damaged cars and trains.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm ETAU moved closer to Kii Peninsula, Japan, threatening to dump up to 20 inches of rain on the western part of the Kansai region, which would trigger severe flooding and landslides.