Japan: record rainfall causes disaster

Written by David Fletcher 12 Jul 2018
Japan: record rainfall causes disaster

Mudslides and flooding caused by torrential rain have killed 195, with the toll expected to rise further. 75,000 responders have been deployed for search and rescue operations. Further storms and landslides are expected, causing additional danger. Prime minister Shinzo Abe cancelled scheduled trips abroad to focus on disaster relief efforts. The UN was ready to provide support if Tokyo requested it. Parts of Japan had received 20 inches of rain, with Hiroshima, Okayama, and Hyogo inundated with even more. In two hours some cities were completely flooded as deluges fell across mountains and then funnelled down, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. Those unable to leave took shelter on rooftops as water and mudslides buried houses and vehicles. Pray for a Christian presence among the fearful and grieving.

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