Japan ordered nearly 800,000 people on the southern island of Kyushu to take shelter in evacuation centres and other safe areas on Wednesday as heavy rains threatened to trigger landslides and cause other damage.
Some parts of southern Kyushu have received up to 1,000 mm of rain since Friday, and forecasters expect as much as 350 mm to fall in some areas by midday on Thursday, NHK said.
All 800,000 residents of three cities in Kagoshima Prefecture ordered to evacuate due to heavy rain https://t.co/fzvwmyL1TM
— The Japan Times (@japantimes) July 3, 2019
Evacuation orders were issued for nearly 600,000 residents of Kagoshima city and two smaller cities in the same prefecture, the broadcaster said.
Here is an analysis on the situation in western Japan regarding the heavy rain. Nearly 600,000 people have been ordered to evacuate from Kagoshima according to NHK. https://t.co/XdR5NcfN9i
— Jonathan Oh (@johontv) July 3, 2019
Another 310,000 residents of the island were advised to find shelter, Kyodo News reported.
UPDATE: 3 southwest Japan cities order 800,000 to evacuate over rain, landslide danger#Kagoshima #Japan #evacuation https://t.co/ivru67hA97 pic.twitter.com/0HtfD9EXAW
— The Mainichi (Japan) (@themainichi) July 3, 2019
In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said residents should "take steps to protect their lives, including early evacuation" and he ordered the military to prepare for rescue operations if needed.
Abe was criticized for the government's slow response last July when heavy rains triggered landslides and floods, killing more than 200 people in Japan's worst weather disaster in 36 years.
