In the early hours of Friday, a devastating landslide struck the western Japanese prefecture of Ehime, leaving three people missing and communities in shock. The calamity occurred around 4 a.m. in Matsuyama City when a slope measuring approximately 50 meters wide and 100 meters high collapsed, unleashing a torrent of mud and debris.
The powerful landslide buried a residence and sent mud surging into nearby houses and an apartment building, according to reports from local media outlet Kyodo News. Police and firefighters have been dispatched to the scene, tirelessly searching for the missing individuals amid challenging conditions.
City authorities responded swiftly by issuing a level-five evacuation alert—the highest level—urging residents in the disaster-hit Shimizu district to immediately move to safe locations such as sturdy buildings or upper floors of their homes to protect their lives.
Since Wednesday, Matsuyama has been deluged with 213 millimeters of rainfall, matching the average monthly total for July. The relentless rain has saturated the ground, increasing the risk of landslides and flooding throughout the region.
The landslide comes as the Japan Meteorological Agency warns of continued heavy rain mainly in western Japan. The agency cautioned that with a rainy-season front lingering over the Pacific side of western to eastern Japan through Saturday, atmospheric conditions are likely to remain highly unstable. Residents are urged to stay vigilant for further landslides and flooding in low-lying areas.
Communities are now grappling with the aftermath of the disaster as search and rescue operations continue. The situation highlights the ongoing challenges posed by severe weather events in Japan, particularly during the rainy season.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
