A mudslide surged through a coastal community about 60 miles southwest of Tokyo, washing away houses during Japan's rainy season, killing at least two people, and leaving at least 20 others missing.
Mudslide in Atami City
In a recently published article in CNN News, the massive mudslide in Atami, Shizuoka prefecture, happened about 10:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, after heavy rain throughout the area. Two women were killed in the landslide, according to an official from the city of Atami.
Ten individuals have been rescued in Atami city by police and firemen who have been looking for the missing. With 700 personnel from the police, fire department, and Japan Self-Defense Forces helping, operations were halted overnight and restarted at 6 a.m. local time on Sunday. according to a published report in FOX10 News.
As of 6:30 a.m., 380 people had been evacuated, and ten evacuation centers had been set up across the city, according to an Atami municipal official. The mudslide washed away more than 80 homes, according to Atami City's Fire Disaster and Management Agency. Sakae Saito, the mayor of Atami, said up to 100 to 300 homes were impacted.
Japan's Officials Expressed their Sympathies
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan offered his sympathies to the landslide victims and said that emergency personnel was doing everything possible to preserve lives, rescue people, and assist with evacuations.
Meanwhile, at a news conference on Saturday, Shizuoka Prefecture Governor Heita Kawakatsu offered his "deepest condolences" to people impacted by the landslide and "those who have been forced to flee," according to a published article in Yahoo News.
More rain is predicted, and people should be on the lookout for landslides, according to Kawakatsu. He said that there are many areas where the soil is unstable, and he also advised people to evacuate from hazardous areas, listen to advice from the city and town, and ensure the safety of their families.
Official Report Says Japan is Prone to Landslide
According to a 2020 Japanese government study, Japan is prone to landslides, with an average of 1,500 landslides per year in the last decade, increasing almost 50% over the preceding ten years.
Flood-related catastrophes, such as landslides, constitute a long-standing yet severe threat to the nation. According to experts, this is because half of Japan's population and 75% of the country's assets are located in flood-prone regions.
Seismologist Robert Geller, professor emeritus of the University of Tokyo said there are many risk factors in Japan that contribute to landslides. It is vulnerable, for example, due to its hilly topography and many areas where the soil contains volcanic ash, which is not as robust as other soils.
Geller also said everything is becoming worse as a result of global warming, which is increasing the frequency of rains that may trigger landslides. The wet season will continue for another week or ten days. They are possibly receiving more rain today than we do because of global warming.
According to Japan's Meteorological Agency, the rain front is anticipated to advance toward the Sea of Japan coast over the weekend, with regions near the coast expecting heavy rain on Monday and Tuesday, as well as landslides and floods in low-lying areas.
