With the passage of time, the serious damage caused by inundation has become apparent. It is important to get an overall picture of the damage and extend the necessary support.
The death toll from Typhoon No. 19, which caused record-breaking heavy rain, has topped 70 in the Kanto and Tohoku regions, including people caught in roiling waters. Every possible effort must be made to confirm people's safety and conduct rescue activities, to determine whether there are still people stranded at home or elsewhere.
The damage extends over a wide area. As of Tuesday, embankments had been breached in as many as 73 locations along 52 rivers in seven prefectures, including the Abukumagawa river in Fukushima Prefecture and the Chikumagawa river in Nagano Prefecture. This exceeds by far the 37 breaches of embankments caused by the torrential rains that hit western Japan in July last year.
There are many areas where the floodwaters have not receded, making roads impassable. Water and power stoppages also continue. The restoration of traffic networks and lifelines should be accelerated.
A myriad of people are being forced to live under difficult conditions at evacuation sites. It is worrisome that elderly people and those with chronic health problems may see their condition worsen. Besides providing them with relief supplies including water, food and blankets, it will be crucial to give medical care.
Some local governments in the Kansai and other regions have begun taking actions to dispatch personnel to the disaster-hit areas. Coordinated efforts should be made so that support will not be extended unevenly or delayed, by ascertaining the needs of those affected by the disaster and closely cooperating among local governments.
At least 10,000 houses were flooded, either above or below the floor level. Studious care must be taken when clearing things up after the floodwaters recede.
Inundated buildings are in danger of collapsing or experiencing short circuits. Water-soaked domestic appliances, outdoor units of air conditioners and hot water supply systems are often broken. To prevent fires resulting from shorts in the wiring, it is important for such soaked devices not to be used carelessly.
As bacteria and mold tend to propagate due to inundation, the risk of infectious diseases has also grown. When removing mud and muddy water from buildings, attention should be paid to hygiene, for example by wearing a protective mask and gloves.
From this point on, volunteers' assistance with clearing things away is expected to get into full swing. Local governments should fully prepare to accept volunteers.
In the aftermath of the disaster, bulky trash such as debris and household goods no longer fit for use will be generated by disaster-stricken areas. Local governments need to secure multiple temporary storage sites, while making the availability of such sites widely known among local residents.
In some prefectures, including Fukushima, garbage disposal facilities have stopped operating due to power outages or inundation. Neighboring local governments must cooperate over a wide area, thus getting ready to move forward with the disposal of trash.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has suggested a policy of designating the damage caused by Typhoon No. 19 as a devastating disaster. Financial support is indispensable for the restoration of the daily lives of disaster-affected people and the recovery of stricken areas.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 16, 2019)
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
