600,000 to be evacuated over heavy rains in Japan

Due to the heavy rains that have been lashing the region in recent days, authorities have ordered the evacuation of 600,000 people in the southwestern city of Kagoshima, Japan.

The situation is expected to further intensify.

Kagoshima received 40 mm/m2 between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

A pedestrian walks through heavy rain in Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

Kagoshima is situated in a bay on the southern island of Kyushu. Some parts of the island have received 900 millimeters of rainfall per square meter since last week.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has forecast rainfall of around 350 mm/m2 in southern Kyushu by Thursday morning, while some areas in the region could receive up to 80 mm per hour, reported Efe news.

The Futami River is swollen due to heavy rain in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto.

The authorities fear that the downpour could cause mudslides, the main reason to issue the evacuation order for some 600,000 people starting at 9.35 a.m. time, according to the Kagoshima municipality.

The head of the JMA's weather prediction unit told the media in Tokyo that compared to last year, this time the rains appeared set to last for a shorter period, adding that there was a possibility that the downpour could hamper the evacuation process.

Indo-Asian News Service