TOKYO — Japanese authorities issued landslide warnings across parts of the country's southern and western regions on Sunday after two tropical storms brought torrential rain, flooding and transport disruptions during the annual rainy season, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and other government agencies.
The warnings followed the passage of Tropical Storms Mekkhala and Higos, whose combined effects with a stationary seasonal rain front produced intense rainfall over wide areas. The JMA urged residents in locations facing a high risk of landslides to remain alert and follow local evacuation guidance as saturated ground conditions increased the danger of further slope failures.
Heavy rain affected parts of Kyushu, Shikoku and western Honshu before extending toward central and eastern Japan over the weekend. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said it continued monitoring damage linked to the heavy rain that began earlier in the week, including road closures and other disruptions, while local governments maintained emergency response operations.
The JMA had earlier issued its second-highest, Level 4, landslide warnings for areas including Shizuoka, Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures before conditions improved in some locations later on Saturday as the storms moved northeast into the Pacific. Under Japan's warning system, Level 4 indicates an extremely high risk and calls for residents in affected areas to evacuate.
At least one person was killed after a landslide caused a house to collapse in Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to local authorities cited by official reports. Authorities also reported several injuries and flooding affecting dozens of homes in western Japan. Transportation was disrupted by flight cancellations, suspended rail services and highway restrictions as emergency officials responded to weather-related incidents.
The JMA said the combination of the tropical storms and the seasonal rain front had intensified rainfall across broad sections of the country. During a weather briefing earlier in the week, agency officials warned that localized downpours could trigger flooding and landslides even after the storms weakened because soils remained saturated.
Government agencies continued to advise residents to monitor official weather information and evacuation notices. As of Sunday, authorities were maintaining landslide and heavy-rain alerts in affected areas where hazardous conditions persisted, while damage assessments and emergency response operations remained underway.
