Record Rainfall Triggers Highest Level Emergency Warning in Central Japan

Japan issued its highest level emergency warning for heavy rain and flooding in central Japan on Tuesday evening. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a Level 5 warning for areas along the Shonai River in Aichi and Gifu prefectures, including the city of Nagoya. The city of Nagoya recorded a record 104.5 millimeters of rain in a single hour ending at 4:53 p.m. Tuesday. Local authorities in Nagoya declared citywide disaster relief on Wednesday after a linear rainband paralyzed transportation and left many commuters and students stranded overnight. One 23 year old woman reported spending the night at a karaoke venue near Nagoya Station because she could not return home.

Impacts in Aichi Prefecture included the flooding of 40 buildings, with one building experiencing above floor flooding and two experiencing below floor flooding. Three people sustained minor injuries, including a woman in her 70s who fell at an evacuation center. In Nagoya, approximately 3,500 people evacuated, with 1,600 taking shelter at centers as of Tuesday evening. Around 200 vehicles were damaged by the rain. Schools, including elementary and junior high schools, were temporarily closed in Nagoya. The JMA later downgraded the Level 5 warning for the Shonai River to a Level 2 flood advisory by early Wednesday morning.

The JMA warned that heavy rain could continue through Thursday due to an active weather front and a tropical depression that developed from Typhoon Krovanh. Forecasts for the 24 hours through 6 a.m. Thursday include up to 200 millimeters of rain in the Tokai and Kinki regions, 150 millimeters in Shikoku, 120 millimeters in Kanto Koshin and Hokuriku, and 80 millimeters in Tohoku. Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant against landslides and rising river levels, noting that the ground in the Tokai region is already loosened.