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Torrential Downpour in Japan Forces Over One Million to Evacuate

Japan Sustainability News
by Eben Diskin Jul 3, 2019

It might be summer, but the sun is not shining for everyone. Japan is experiencing such heavy rain that more than one million residents have been ordered to evacuate.

The island of Kyushu has seen 39 inches of rainfall since Friday, and the rain is projected to continue. Residents in parts of Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures were ordered to move to safety without delay, with over one million people across the island in the midst of forced evacuations. In addition to the entire populations of Kagoshima city, Kirishima, and Aira, another 930,000 people in the south of the island were also ordered to move to safety.

Unfortunately, one woman in Kagoshima has already died after her home was hit by a mudslide, the BBC reported.

Japan’s defense forces have even been enlisted to help with disaster relief as floods and landslides are anticipated.

According to CNN, Kyushu expects more than 13.7 inches of rain tomorrow, which is more than the average rainfall for the island for the whole month of July.

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