The latest typhoon has caused enormous damage over an extremely large area. Swift efforts must be made to rescue victims and promote restoration work through cooperation among relevant organizations.
The massive, powerful Typhoon No. 19 crossed the eastern part of Japan. It has left dozens of people dead and missing. At one point, the number of people taking refuge at evacuation sites reached about 230,000. All this illustrates the ferocity of the latest typhoon.
In addition to police officers and firefighters, the government has sent about 31,000 Self-Defense Forces personnel to disaster-stricken areas. They should share relevant information with local governments and do everything in their power to rescue disaster victims. Progress needs to be made in promoting restoration work, such as the recovery of housing, in a well-planned manner, in addition to inspections at rivers and repairs on collapsed embankments.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special heavy rain warning in a record number of 13 areas -- Tokyo and 12 prefectures, including Saitama and Kanagawa. Some areas were hit by extremely heavy rain equal to about one-third of their annual precipitation.
Embankments along the Chikumagawa river in Nagano Prefecture and the Oppegawa river in Saitama Prefecture were breached, with a large amount of muddy water pouring into residential areas. Many people were stranded at their homes or facilities for the elderly. The Tamagawa river flooded parts of Tokyo's Setagaya Ward, causing damage to local houses that were inundated.
Because of a sharp increase in their water reserves, emergency discharges of water were carried out at six dams in five prefectures, including Shiroyama Dam, located on the upper reaches of the Sagamigawa river. This involved a growing risk of flooding due to a rise in water levels along the lower reaches of streams. The discharges seem to have been conducted as an inevitable measure to protect the dams.
Remember 'safety first'
Rainwater in mountainous areas flows into the lower reaches of rivers, some time after falling. Flooding may occur later as well. Rainfall has made the ground unstable, increasing the danger of new disasters happening as a result of the movement of sediment.
Continued vigilance cannot be neglected. It is important for residents in areas along the lower reaches of rivers to pay attention to information released by the meteorological agency and local governments, while also following the rule of "safety first" as they act.
The main feature of the latest typhoon was that its strong winds covered a wide expanse, and it remained extremely powerful, before coming ashore. The water temperature in the Pacific Ocean along the southern part of the Honshu region stood at about 27 C, one or two degrees higher than the level of the average year, continuing to supply vapor to the typhoon.
Against a backdrop of global warming, typhoons have a tendency to extend far and wide. It is important to strengthen preparedness against flood damage.
The meteorological agency started calling early on for precautions to be taken against the latest typhoon. In response, JR and private railway companies, as well as airlines, announced they would conduct planned suspensions of transportation and flight services. Supermarkets and other business operators also decided to close temporarily.
Emergency responses aimed at prioritizing the safety of customers and employees are taking root among companies. This helped many people buy food and disaster relief goods in advance. People also avoided going out for unnecessary and non-urgent purposes. It is safe to say that taking precautionary measures early kept the disruption in people's lives to a minimum.
As the typhoon approached, some Rugby World Cup matches were canceled. Next summer, the Tokyo Olympics will be held. People involved in the Games should once again examine their responses to meteorological disasters.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 14, 2019)
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