Heightened alert issued as heavy rain hits Japan’s Okinawa
Japan's weather agency on Sunday urged Okinawa residents to be on high alert for mudslides and other disasters as torrential rains are drenching the country's southernmost prefecture.
The Japan Meteorological Agency on Saturday issued an emergency heavy rain warning for Kagoshima’s Yoron Town, urging maximum caution due to the increased risk of landslides and flooding.
Moist air created unstable atmospheric conditions over Kagoshima’s Yoron Town and Okinawa Prefecture, causing a rain band to develop and bring torrential rainfall, according to the agency, Xinhua news agency reported.
In Yoron, the 24-hour rainfall reached 594 mm by 8:20 a.m., the highest recorded since data collection began in 1978.
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Okinawa’s Higashi Village saw record rainfall, with 442 mm in 24 hours by 11:00 a.m. Local authorities have reported flooding, inundated roads, and landslide risks across affected areas, with more severe rain expected into the evening.
Both Amami and Okinawa residents are advised to stay alert for potential landslides, floods, and rising river levels, the agency said.
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