Residents of Saitama Prefecture in Japan reported a disturbing weather phenomenon that brought down black-tinged rainwater in several wards of the area, March 2.
People took it to social media to report the strange weather occurrence which sparked theories of incinerated bodies of coronavirus patients, a nuclear attack and heavy pollution causing black rain to fall.
The 'black rain' was reported in areas of Ageo, Iwatsuki, Kuki and Saitama but majority of the reports were from the city of Hasuda. According to SoraNews24, city officials of Hasuda issued a statement that the matter is already under investigation after they received multiple reports and complaints regarding 'black puddles' in roads that their cars were soaked with black rain water.
Some citizens from Saitama took it to Twitter to express their concern over possible nuclear-related materials or chemicals in the atmosphere which resulted to the soot-colored rain. The phenomenon even trended on Twitter with the hashtag #blackrain.
Now there are reports of #BlackRain falling in #Japan. Any possible connection to the #Wuhan #coronavirus? I've heard theories that it could be from the #crematoriums in #China... not sure how plausible that is tho... https://t.co/zzijuJljUC pic.twitter.com/hAJgjCoH8l — Nicole Jones-Dion (@novaris) March 3, 2020
Tokyo #BlacKRain speculation about secret mass graves and mass cremations burning the bodies of corona virus victims hazardous waste materials and remains in #Japan — japanism (@japanideas) March 5, 2020
However, action was immediately taken by Hasuda City Officials who tested the radiation levels in the rainwater and confirmed that there was nothing unusual. But they also added that there is still a need for further investigation since the cause of the black rain still remains a mystery.
People have also expressed concerns if the 'black rain' is somehow connected to the coronavirus outbreak and if the government is secretly burning bodies of those who died from COVID-19.
Another theory that spread online was that North Korea has launched nuclear missiles that day. This is because a similar phenomenon occurred during World War II after the United States dropped atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the said bombings, radioactive materials were sent up in the atmosphere causing 'black rain' to fall over areas that were affected by the attacks.
The black rain in 1945 was very contaminated with radioactive materials that even after 70 years later when scientist tested a school uniform worn by a girl exposed to the 'black rain' they were still able to detect a radioactive isotope, Caesium 137.
However, there were no nuclear activities reported in Saitama or in nearby areas. It later emerged that there was a gigantic fire that burned down a large commercial building in Hasuda around the same time that the black-tinged rainwater covered the streets which were speculated to have caused the 'black rain'.
In view of this, people questioned why the fire was not acknowledged by Hasuda on their website. There were also concerns about how unsettling it was that they either did not know about the huge fire or that they did not feel it was necessary for a time when people are getting unnerved and already speculating nuclear attacks and mass-cremation of coronavirus victims. They were also called out saying that the dispersion of such information was very crucial at that time.
Hasuda Officials are yet to give their comments regarding the commercial building blaze and its possible role in the 'black rain' phenomenon.
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