Bullet trains disrupted as record rainfall floods northeastern Japan

Heavy rainfall in northeastern Japan on Tuesday forced temporary suspensions of Shinkansen bullet train services and caused flooding in dozens of homes, the local media reported.

Shinkansen bullet trains between Akita prefecture and Morioka in Iwate prefecture in northeastern Japan were temporarily suspended on Tuesday afternoon after heavy rains lashed the region, resuming service by around 6.15pm local time, the railway operator JR East reported.

The city of Akita issued its highest-level emergency alert to protect more than 4,500 residents, while parts of Gojome and Senboku also received similar warnings, according to Mainichi.

The Shinjo River in Akita Prefecture, along with five other rivers, overflowed, inundating 25 homes in Gojome and the village of Kamikoani by early Tuesday afternoon, prefectural authorities said.

Numerous roads were also submerged, disrupting travel and emergency access.

Kitaakita City recorded a record 190mm (7.5 inches) of rainfall within 24 hours through Tuesday evening – surpassing the typical September average, authorities noted.

With heavy rain expected to persist through Wednesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency has warned residents to stay alert for landslides, lightning, sudden strong winds, and hail across the country.

Earlier last month, Japanese authorities urged millions to evacuate their homes after heavy rains unleashed floods and landslides in the country’s southwest (JIJI Press)

The agency said that low-pressure systems over the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan are moving northeastward, approaching the eastern Kuril Islands and Japan, according to Kyodo News.

Forecasts indicate that by 6pm on Wednesday, rainfall could total up to 180mm in northeastern Japan, 150mm in the Hokuriku region along the Sea of Japan, and 120mm in the Kanto-Koshin area of eastern Japan.

Earlier last month, torrential rains triggered severe flooding and landslides across Japan’s Kyushu region, forcing authorities to call for the evacuation of millions of residents.

In Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, streets and neighbourhoods were submerged under about a metre of water, with rivers overflowing, vehicles swept away, and infrastructure heavily damaged, according to The Japan Times.